Tom Szaky, Founder, TerraCycle TerraCycle was created when Szaky was a 20 year old student entering the Princeton Business Plan contest. TerraCycle had small beginnings as a worm-based fertilizer company and has since expanded as it tries to reduce consumer waste for hard-to-recycle products. The company now offers upcycled goods, like bags and household items made from everything from food wrappers to e-waste and bicycle chains.