Stockholm-based waste technology startup Sortrace has raised approximately $800,000 in a funding round led by Almi Invest, with participation from Antler, Gorilla Capital and several business angels. The company uses camera sensors and AI-powered computer vision on waste collection vehicles to analyse household waste as bins are emptied, helping municipalities and waste companies identify sorting errors and measure the effectiveness of recycling initiatives. The funding will support Sortrace in meeting growing demand from municipalities and advancing its technology further along the waste chain.
Sortrace is a Stockholm-based waste technology company developing AI-powered camera analysis to identify and measure mis-sorting in household waste. Its cameras, installed on waste collection vehicles, analyse waste as bins are emptied and link the results to bin and route data. The company provides municipalities and waste management operators with data to monitor sorting practices, assess waste collection initiatives and identify opportunities to improve recycling and reduce waste sent for incineration.
“Municipalities face new requirements and are investing heavily in collection and in information to households. But without data, no one knows whether those efforts work. We make mis-sorting visible at every emptying, so municipalities can act where the problems actually are,” says Rahel Surshi, CEO and co-founder of Sortrace.
Swedish municipalities have increasing responsibility for ensuring household waste is sorted correctly, but waste operators often lack detailed information about where sorting errors occur and whether public information campaigns are effective.
Sortrace’s system analyses waste during collection, turning camera images into data that can be used to identify recurring sorting problems and assess waste flows. The information can help municipalities target interventions in areas where mis-sorting is most common, rather than relying solely on broad awareness campaigns.
The company says its analysis is privacy-protected, with images stored within the European Union. Sortrace is already working with several municipalities and companies in the recycling sector.
The approximately $800,000 round is led by Almi Invest, with Antler, Gorilla Capital and business angels also participating.
“To take steps towards a more circular economy, more decisions need to be based on data rather than assumptions. Sortrace has built a solution that does exactly that, while creating clear value for its customers. That is a combination we strongly believe in,” says Ali Altaie, Investment Manager at Almi Invest.
CEO and co-founder Rahel Surshi said the investment would help the company respond to growing interest from municipalities. Sortrace also plans to extend its technology beyond waste collection vehicles and further along the waste chain.
“Interest from municipalities is growing fast, and the investment allows us to meet demand. But we are not stopping at waste collection vehicles. The next step is to take the technology further along the waste chain,” says Rahel Surshi.
The company sees waste analysis data as a way to help municipalities and waste operators evaluate sorting initiatives, reduce the amount of material sent to incineration and increase recycling rates.
Read the orginal article: https://arcticstartup.com/sortrace-raises-800k/
