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Startup CEO Washes Cars, Waxes Conservation

Graphic contains an illustration of a sparkling clean red car set against a turquoise background. Above the car are oversized water drops, some containing an illustration of Earth.

As car washes go, the business model has remained largely unchanged: wash, rinse, and repeat.

But Alex Bajzatt, BS’18, the 22-year-old CEO of startup Smart Wash, LLC, is changing that formula by emphasizing sustainability.

“We like to call it a … waterless car wash,” Bajzatt explains. “We use a little water to wash every car, but it’s far less than any other car wash around.”

Smart Wash’s efficient use of water—about 10 ounces per wash—conserves nearly 40 gallons on a single wash, estimates Bajzatt.

Alex Bajzatt sits outside on a campus bench, smiling at the camera while wearing a Kelley School of Business sweatshirt.
“Smart Wash conserves fresh water while delivering a superior clean to your automobile, says Alex Bajzatt,” BS’18. Photo courtesy of IU Kelley School of Business.

Beyond the environmental benefit, Smart Wash is a come-to-you service that will wash a vehicle anywhere, from driveway to curb to parking lot. Customers keep more of their valuable time and get peace of mind knowing that their wash won’t come at the expense of the environment.

Less than a year after joining Smart Wash as an intern in 2017, Bajzatt was offered the opportunity to purchase the company. Shortly thereafter, he became another in a long line of Kelley School of Business-educated CEOs. Bajzatt credits his hard work and Kelley education for the opportunity.

“All of the classes that I’ve taken and the organizations I’ve been in throughout my four years [at IU] have really helped me build my foundation,” says Bajzatt.

With such a passion for conservation—and such strong preparation from IU—it’s only fitting that Bajzatt’s business of saving water would be overflowing with opportunity.

This article was originally published in the fall 2018 issue of Imagine magazine.

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Written By

A. Price

A resident of the Hoosier state since grade school, Alex forged a friendship with “tried and true” IU upon becoming a writer at the IU Foundation.

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