- London-based tech firm Sorted raises £1.65M in Seed funding to address global recycling challenges.
- Governments push for reduced single-use materials, increasing pressure on the waste industry.
- Sorted employs AI-driven technologies to enhance sorting efficiency, achieving over 50% improvement in waste recovery.
- Co-founded by industry veterans Arthur Goujon and Luis Espinosa, Sorted’s clientele includes major waste management firms like SUEZ UK.
- Funding from Pi Labs and others will fuel the expansion of business development and technical teams.
Main AI News:
Sorted, a cutting-edge recycling technology firm based in London, has successfully secured £1.65 million in Seed funding. With growing governmental pressure to minimize reliance on single-use materials and boost recycled content, the waste management sector faces significant hurdles in meeting these demands. The intricacies of sorting recycled materials like plastic pose a substantial challenge, contributing to a staggering $133 billion opportunity missed.
To confront this pressing sustainability issue, Sorted employs advanced technologies to empower human pickers to efficiently sort and reclaim targeted materials. Through the utilization of computer vision, spectroscopy, and colored lasers driven by AI, their innovative solution identifies, distinguishes, and precisely locates valuable items on recycling lines. This innovative application of AI presents a digitized remedy to a tangible problem.
In its initial implementation, Sorted has achieved a remarkable over 50 percent improvement in residual waste recovery by enhancing picker performance. Rather than being sent for incineration, each reclaimed item translates into additional revenue potential for Sorted’s clientele while simultaneously curbing carbon emissions.
Established in 2022 by Arthur Goujon and Luis Espinosa, Sorted benefits from Goujon’s extensive 15-year background in waste management and technology, including leadership roles such as Head of Digital at global waste management giant SUEZ, and Espinosa’s track record of scaling numerous unicorns over the past decade, including Uber, Rappi, and DiDi.
Counting among its clientele some of the largest waste management and recycling firms in the UK and France, including SUEZ UK and Cawleys, Sorted continues to make strides in revolutionizing the industry.
Arthur Goujon, Co-Founder, and CTO at Sorted, expressed, “Our mission revolves around assisting waste management entities in enhancing waste sorting efficiency and maximizing the recovery of recyclable materials. With regulatory pressures mounting, such as the impending UK Emissions Trading Scheme, our clients actively seek avenues to diminish the volume of carbon-heavy plastics destined for incineration, thereby averting escalated fees. Our product directly addresses these challenges, facilitating a reduction in carbon footprint and amplifying the yield and feasibility of recycled materials.”
The funding round was led by Pi Labs, with participation from Archipelago Ventures, Circular Plastics Accelerator, Conduit Connect, Antler, and various angel investors.
Faisal Butt, Founder, and Managing Partner at Pi Labs remarked, “Corporations face the risk of falling short of their corporate sustainability objectives unless they optimize their access to recycled materials. By introducing their super pickers, Sorted has introduced a digitalized and sustainable solution to this quandary, while empowering their clients to contribute to a circular economy. Arthur and Luis possess remarkable individual expertise and, together, form a dynamic duo of founders.”
Fred Stinchcombe, Production Regional Manager at SUEZ UK, shared insights, stating, “Our primary challenge lies in continually aligning our operations with what yields the greatest value: be it reducing residual waste or attaining superior output quality, all without necessitating extensive plant redesigns. Sorted is precisely addressing this challenge; the team comprehends our operational nuances and is harnessing technology in a pragmatic manner to deliver value right from the outset.“
The infusion of fresh capital will enable Sorted to bolster its business development and technical teams, thereby expediting its go-to-market strategy.
Conclusion:
Sorted’s successful funding round reflects a growing recognition of the critical role technology plays in addressing the global recycling crisis. By innovatively combining AI with waste management expertise, Sorted is poised to revolutionize the industry, offering sustainable solutions that not only enhance operational efficiency but also contribute to environmental conservation and economic viability. This investment underscores the market’s appetite for transformative technologies that drive sustainability and circular economy initiatives.
