Thousands of new startups are founded every year, despite considerable disruptions and challenges to the global economy. To introduce you to emerging technologies and startups, we analyzed a total of 958 global waste management startups & scaleups.
Global Startup Heat Map reveals 5 Waste Management Startups You Should Watch in 2021
Out of 958, the 5 waste management startups to watch this year are chosen through the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 1.3 million startups & scaleups globally. The platform gives you the most exhaustive collection of solutions and ensures you continuously discover new startups, scaleups, and technologies. This enables you to easily scout for waste management technologies and startups that matter to you and drive innovation in your industry forward.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the 5 waste management startups you should watch in 2021 as well as the geo-distribution of the other 953 startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research. The 5 highlighted waste management startups are hand-picked based on our data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, relevance of technology, and funding, among others.
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DePoly closes the loop for Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Plastics
Consumer products and brands have an immense impact on the generation of plastic waste in many countries globally. However, major corporations are now making an effort towards making their products more sustainable. For instance, recycling technology solutions specific to plastic waste transform linear economies into circular ones. To this end, startups and scaleups develop sustainable recycling technologies to process post-consumer PET waste.
Swiss startup DePoly creates sustainable technologies to close the loop on the recycling process of post-consumer PET plastic waste. The startup’s proprietary low-cost, low-energy recycling process enables the production of terephthalic acid (TPA) and mono ethylene glycol (MEG) from PET products. This recycling process selectively treats PET plastic in the presence of other plastics such as polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride, which current recycling technologies find difficult to do.
Mbrass develops an Integrated Platform for Waste Management
Increasing population, urbanization, migration issues, and change in lifestyle lead to municipal solid waste generation levels that are significantly higher year over year. Businesses, households, and individuals alike all generate recyclable and non-recyclable waste and sometimes struggle to connect with the right stakeholder for waste recycling. Integrated platforms, however, connect all the stakeholders in the recycling supply chain, ensuring visibility and accountability. Startups, therefore, develop cloud platform solutions to reduce the waste that goes to landfills.
Indian startup Mbrass develops an integrated platform for the management of household waste, e-waste, and bulk waste. The startup’s platform is simple to use and connects all stakeholders involved in the supply chain of waste recycling efforts. A corresponding smartphone application enables end-users to quickly and easily identify scrap material and connects them to the right recycling agent depending on the given material. Moreover, the startup’s product furthers its aim of achieving zero waste to landfill mission.
Biovert Protein uses Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Larvae to Process Organic Food Waste
Insects are an alternative to the conventionally used protein sources in livestock feed owing to rich nutrient content. Moreover, insects are cultivable on organic side streams and contribute to sustainability by consuming organic food waste. Combining the advantages of centralized large-scale protein production systems with the benefits of decentralized waste management strategies enables businesses to better manage waste. To this end, startups use insects such as the BSF to maximize the utilization of organic food waste and create alternative protein-based products.
Thai startup Biovert Protein utilizes BSF as a solution to process organic food waste. The startup’s BSF technology effectively manages the short life cycle of the black soldier fly. Additionally, 1 kilogram of BSF eggs generate approximately 7 tons of larvae – a number of larvae capable of processing 25 tons of organic food waste within a week. Further, the startup produces BSF-based products including oil and animal feed which is rich in protein.
trace Manufactures Smart Trash Cans for Household Waste Management
Waste segregation is a key aspect of recycling efforts that makes the process of waste disposal efficient. For example, household waste consists majorly of food waste and post-consumer packaging waste; efficiently sorting this waste in appropriate bins is the best practice for a sustainable waste disposal strategy. For governmental waste management processes, smart trash bins provide real-time data analytics to manage collection routes and the placement of bins more effectively. To this end, startups develop smart trash cans that improve the effectiveness of waste disposal.
The US-based startup trace manufactures the Trace Smart Can, a smart dustbin that has a dedicated food waste bin, separate from trash and recycling materials. This food waste bin keeps the organic waste frozen and ensures the food waste bin stays odorless until the bin is full. Additionally, custom bin liners ensure easy removal and disposal of each bin’s contents. Sensors in the can further feed waste data into the trace app which provides real-time insights and education on how to sort waste properly. Moreover, through the smartphone application, users find relevant information such as dates for the next curbside pick-up can even assign people in the household to take the trash out.
Lidbot produces Internet of Things (IoT) Sensors and Solutions for Waste Management
Some of the benefits of integrating IoT sensors to manage waste disposal and recycling include increased transparency on the actual waste situation. In turn, this enables process efficiencies in route and collection strategies. Additionally, the sensors collect real-time data on parameters such as weight, type of containers, and even their contents. In order to derive meaningful insights from waste management data, startups develop sensor-based cloud solutions that improve the effectiveness of the waste management workforce.
Canadian startup Lidbot produces IoT sensors to transform regular garbage bins into smart bins. The startup’s system augments existing garbage pick-up schedules and gives the staff actionable insights. This brings transparency into the workforce and ensures that waste management processes are optimal. The sensors are easy to install within 5 minutes and require 3 AAA batteries for power. Additionally, they are equipped with an up-to-the-mm IR Laser sensor that detects distances up to 4 meters in order to automatically open the lid and assist users with waste disposal.
Discover more Startups & Scaleups
The 900+ waste management startups in this report are only a small sample of what we identified during our research. Explore our free Industry Innovation Reports for a broad overview of the industry or get in touch for quick & exhaustive research on the latest technologies and emerging solutions that will soon impact your company.
