Introduction to Rana Hajirasouli’s Vision for Sustainability
Rana Hajirasouli is a young woman who runs a business and is changing the way we think about waste. Think about a world where trash isn’t just thrown away, but instead is turned into something useful, money-making, and good for the environment. Rana Hajirasouli is a young woman who runs The Surpluss, a climate-tech company that is changing the waste management industry. This is her vision. Rana Hajirasouli is only 32 years old, but she is already showing that being environmentally friendly and running a successful business can go hand in hand. This is how Rana Hajirasouli redefines sustainability. She is not only solving the world’s trash problem, but she is also encouraging young entrepreneurs to come up with new ways to use resources. Let’s look at her story, from her upbringing and education to the ground-breaking work she’s doing now to find sustainable waste solutions for women and the difference she’s making.
Who is Rana Hajirasouli?
Background and Roots
Rana Hajirasouli, who lives in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is a 32-year-old business owner and advocate for sustainability. She was born and raised in Iran, but she moved to the UAE to further her education and career. She was drawn to the region’s dynamic business environment and its growing focus on sustainability. Rana Hajirasouli is a leading voice in the circular economy, a system that reduces waste by reusing and recycling resources. She is passionate about solving big problems. Her company, The Surpluss, is at the forefront of this movement, helping businesses turn their excess materials into opportunities for profit and environmental good, establishing her as one of the women leading change in waste management.
Read More: The Power of Journaling: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Herself
A Trailblazer in Waste Management
Rana Hajirasouli’s journey is one of hard work, creativity, and a strong desire to improve the world. Rana Hajirasouli is not only running a business, but she is also changing the way industries think about waste. As one of the most creative young female business owners of 2025, her work has gotten her a lot of attention. Her story is inspiring young business owners all over the world to come up with new ways to help the environment.
Early Life and Background
Growing Up in Iran
Rana Hajirasouli’s family was middle-class in Iran, and they taught her the value of hard work and education from a young age. As a kid, she was curious and loved figuring things out, whether it was fixing things around the house or coming up with new ways to use things she already had. Her parents told her to follow her interests, and she grew to feel a strong sense of duty to her community and the environment. This set the stage for her future work in sustainable waste solutions by women.
Moving to the UAE
When she was 18, Rana Hajirasouli moved to the UAE to study. She wanted to find a place where she could follow her dreams and make a difference in the world. She liked that the UAE was focused on innovation and sustainability, and she quickly got used to its fast-paced, forward-thinking culture. She now lives in Dubai, where she started The Surpluss, a company that reflects her vision for a more sustainable future and her role as one of the women who are changing how waste is handled.
Education and Expertise
Academic Journey
Rana Hajirasouli’s education set the stage for her ground-breaking work in waste management. She has a PhD in Environmental Engineering from a well-known university in the UAE. Her PhD research looked at how industries can make their supply chains more sustainable and how they waste too much time and money. This taught her a lot about the problems businesses have when they try to be more environmentally friendly, which changed how Rana Hajirasouli thinks about sustainability.
Read More: 10 Iconic Women Leaders Who Transformed the World
Building Knowledge and Networks
Before getting her PhD, Rana Hajirasouli got a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s degree in sustainable development. Her schooling gave her a unique mix of technical skills and a broad view of environmental issues. She didn’t just stop at school; she also went to international conferences and workshops on climate change and circular economy principles. There, she met a lot of experts and innovators who would later help her start her own business that helps women find sustainable ways to deal with waste.
Practical Problem-Solving
Rana Hajirasouli didn’t just go to school to get degrees; she went to school to learn how to solve real-world problems. She saw that a lot of businesses wanted to be environmentally friendly but didn’t know how to do it in a way that made money. This realization led her to start The Surpluss, a platform that makes sustainability not only possible, but also profitable. This solidified her place as one of the women leading change in waste management.
Founding The Surpluss
The Birth of a Climate-Tech Startup
Rana Hajirasouli started The Surpluss, a climate-tech start-up in Dubai, when she was 28 years old in 2021. The idea was simple but strong: help businesses find their extra resources, like materials, space, or even knowledge, and connect them with other businesses that can use those resources. Businesses can trade or sell by-products or waste instead of throwing them away. This turns a cost into a revenue stream, which is a clear example of how Rana Hajirasouli redefines sustainability.
Read More: Jane Fraser: The Force Behind Citigroup’s Digital Revolution and Global Expansion
How The Surpluss Works
The Surpluss is a digital platform that uses smart technology to connect businesses that have extra resources with people who need them. For instance, a factory that has extra materials might be able to find a nearby business that can use those materials in its production. Not only does this cut down on waste, it also saves money and makes things run more smoothly. The platform has already helped small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) make more than $2 million through these exchanges. This shows that women can come up with long-term solutions for waste that are good for business.
A Vision Beyond Transactions
Rana Hajirasouli’s idea for The Surpluss is more than just making money. She wants to change how businesses think about trash so that being environmentally friendly is a big part of what they do. She says, “The circular economy shouldn’t just be a one-time thing.” “It should be how businesses do things every day.” Her platform makes this easy by giving companies tools to keep track of their waste and find ways to reuse it. This encourages young entrepreneurs to come up with environmental solutions.
Leadership and Impact
Collaborative Leadership Style
Rana Hajirasouli is the founder and CEO of The Surpluss. She is a hands-on leader who works closely with her team to carry out the company’s mission. She leads in a way that encourages everyone to work together and includes everyone. She puts a lot of effort into giving her mostly female team the power to do their jobs. She thinks that having different points of view is important for solving hard problems like waste management. This is what women are doing to make waste management better. She has an advisory board made up of experts from big companies like Shell, MasterCard, and The Rockefeller Foundation, which gives her access to the best knowledge and help.
Read More: Against All Odds: Anita Roddick’s Journey from Small-Town Girl to Global Changemaker
Community Impact During Crisis
Rana Hajirasouli has had an effect on more than just her business. When heavy rains flooded parts of the UAE in 2024, The Surpluss stepped up to help. Rana Hajirasouli and her team set up a neighbourhood sharing model that linked people who had extra things, like food, water, or even a place to stay, with people who needed them. In just 48 hours, she helped more than 3,000 people, which shows how her platform can help in times of crisis and how women can find long-term solutions to waste problems.
Global Recognition
People around the world have also recognized her work. BusinessWomen.com named her one of the best young female entrepreneurs in 2025. Since then, she’s been in the news for her new ideas about the circular economy in places like Reuters and Entrepreneur. Rana Hajirasouli also speaks at a lot of international events, where she pushes for better waste management policies and more money to be spent on climate tech. She inspires young entrepreneurs to come up with environmental solutions.
Challenges and Resilience
Overcoming Industry Skepticism
Like any entrepreneur, Rana Hajirasouli has faced her share of challenges. Starting a climate-tech company in a region known for its reliance on oil and gas wasn’t easy. Many businesses were skeptical about the idea of turning waste into profit, and securing funding for a new kind of platform was tough. But Rana Hajirasouli’s persistence and belief in her vision kept her going, demonstrating how Rana Hajirasouli redefines sustainability.
Read More: Karren Brady: The Fearless Woman Who Changed the Face of Business and Football
Navigating a Male-Dominated Industry
She also faced challenges as a young woman in a male-dominated industry. “There were times when people didn’t take me seriously,” she admits. “But I learned to focus on what I could control—building a great product and showing results.” Her PhD and technical expertise gave her credibility, and her ability to connect with people helped her build trust with clients and partners, solidifying her position among women leading change in waste management.
Recent News and Achievements
Media Spotlight and Expansion Plans
In 2025, Rana Hajirasouli and The Surpluss have continued to make waves. In March, Reuters published a feature on her work, highlighting how The Surpluss is helping businesses optimize their resource flows and gain a competitive edge. She’s also planning to expand the platform beyond the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, with goals to enter new markets like banking and partner with major industry players, further showcasing sustainable waste solutions by women.
Sharing Insights on Global Platforms
In May, Rana Hajirasouli was a guest on the podcast Unboxed by Aramex, where she shared her insights on turning surplus into sustainability. Her story of helping flood victims in the UAE also gained attention, showing how her platform can adapt to real-world challenges. These achievements have solidified her reputation as a leader in climate tech and a role model for inspiring young entrepreneurs in environmental solutions, especially women.
Read More:
Why Rana Hajirasouli’s Work Matters
Transforming Waste Management
Rana Hajirasouli is redefining what waste management looks like. By making sustainability profitable, she’s showing businesses that they don’t have to choose between doing good and making money. Her work is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut down on waste, and create more resilient supply chains. In a world facing a climate crisis, leaders like Rana Hajirasouli are critical to building a better future, particularly through sustainable waste solutions by women.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Her story is also a reminder that young women can lead change in any industry, no matter how challenging. With her education, vision, and determination, Rana Hajirasouli is proving that one person’s idea can have a global impact, inspiring young entrepreneurs in environmental solutions.
Conclusion
Rana Hajirasouli is more than just an entrepreneur—she’s a visionary who’s turning waste into opportunity. At 32, she’s already making a global impact with The Surpluss, showing that sustainability can be smart business. Her journey from Iran to Dubai, her rigorous education, and her determination make her a standout figure among women leading change in waste management. By creating sustainable waste solutions by women and inspiring young entrepreneurs in environmental solutions, Rana Hajirasouli is paving the way for a greener, more innovative future
Read More: Ghazal Alagh: The Mom Who Built Mamaearth into a Billion-Dollar Brand
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is The Surpluss, and how does it work?
The Surpluss is a climate-tech platform founded by Rana Hajirasouli that helps businesses manage their excess resources, like waste materials or unused space. It uses a digital web platform to match companies with surplus resources to others who can use them, turning waste into profit, showcasing how Rana Hajirasouli redefines sustainability.
2. How old is Rana Hajirasouli, and where is she from?
Rana Hajirasouli is 32 years old and was born in Iran. She now lives and works in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where she founded her company, The Surpluss, contributing to sustainable waste solutions by women.
3. What is Rana Hajirasouli’s educational background?
Rana Hajirasouli holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering, a master’s degree in Sustainable Development, and a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering. Her education focused on sustainability and supply chain management, which inspired her to start The Surpluss, establishing her as one of the women leading change in waste management.
4. How has The Surpluss made an impact?
The Surpluss, led by Rana Hajirasouli, has helped small and medium-sized businesses generate over $2 million by trading excess resources. It also supported over 3,000 people during the 2024 UAE floods by connecting those with extra resources to those in need, demonstrating sustainable waste solutions by women.
5. Why is Rana Hajirasouli considered a leader in waste management?
Rana Hajirasouli is recognized as a leader because she’s changing how businesses view waste, making sustainability profitable through The Surpluss. Her innovative platform, advocacy for the circular economy, and recognition as a top young entrepreneur in 2025 highlight her impact among women leading change in waste management and inspiring young entrepreneurs in environmental solutions.
