Project Brief — Paper Surplus Marketplace

Overview

The Paper Surplus Marketplace is an AI-powered B2B platform that matches paper mill surplus inventory to buyer specifications. Think "Airbnb for paper surplus" — it creates a digital marketplace where none currently exists.

Partnership

• Rafael (DeployStaff) — 50% — Technology, AI/ML, platform development
• Thierry (Morichal Trading) — 50% — 15+ years paper trading, mill relationships, industry credibility

Problem

There is no digital marketplace for paper surplus. The current state:

• No "Bloomberg for paper surplus" — no centralized price discovery
• Trading is manual: email-based, broker-mediated, phone calls
• Information is scattered: FOEX indices, RISI reports, classifieds
• Mills have surplus they can't efficiently sell
• Buyers can't efficiently find what they need
• Price opacity — no transparency in surplus quality/availability
• Market fragmented across regions

Solution

• AI-powered matching: surplus specs → buyer requirements
• Zero friction for mills: they email Excel spreadsheets as they do today
• AI parses Excel → structured data → matches to buyer specs
• Automated newsletter generation with matched surplus
• Container assembly optimization (combining partial rolls)
• Geographic visibility rules (regional market control)
• 48-hour exclusivity windows for matched buyers

Target Market

• Primary: European paper and packaging mills + buyers
• MVP: 5 mills + 5 buyer clients
• Expansion: Europe → Americas → Global

Revenue Model

• Commission per transaction (percentage of deal value)
• No subscription fees for MVP
• Value proposition: faster matching, better price discovery, reduced waste

Tech Stack

• Frontend: Angular 18+ with Tailwind CSS
• Backend: Django 5.x + Django REST Framework + PostgreSQL
• Server: Contabo VPS (77.237.235.106)
• Deployment: PM2 process management

Success Criteria (MVP)

1. 5 mills actively uploading surplus via Excel/email
2. 5 buyers receiving matched surplus newsletters
3. At least 1 successful transaction facilitated through the platform
4. Container assembly proposals generated for multi-lot shipments
5. < 24hr turnaround from Excel upload to buyer notification