Sorted, Empowered by AI, Raises £1.65M to Address Global Recycling Challenges

Sorted employs cutting-edge technology, including computer vision, spectroscopy, and colored lasers, all driven by artificial intelligence (AI), to transform the identification, differentiation, and pinpointing of valuable items on recycling lines. Through the integration of computer vision algorithms, the system can visually analyze materials in real-time, accurately distinguishing between various types of recyclables and contaminants. Spectroscopy enables the identification of materials based on their unique chemical signatures, further enhancing sorting accuracy. Colored lasers are strategically utilized to precisely target and separate valuable items from the waste stream. By leveraging AI, Sorted optimizes sorting processes, improving efficiency and maximizing the recovery of valuable resources from recycling operations. This innovative approach contributes to sustainability efforts by reducing waste and promoting resource conservation.

Sorted, a London-based recycling technology company, has secured £1.65 million in Seed funding. This investment comes at a critical time when governments are intensifying pressure to decrease reliance on single-use materials and boost recycled content. Despite the growing demand, the waste industry faces challenges in meeting these targets due to the complexity of sorting recycled materials like plastic. This complexity has led to a significant missed opportunity, estimated at $133 billion, highlighting the urgent need for innovative solutions like those offered by Sorted to streamline recycling processes and maximize resource recovery.

Sorted is addressing the global sustainability challenge by empowering human pickers to enhance sorting and recover targeted materials more effectively. Leveraging a combination of cutting-edge technologies including computer vision, spectroscopy, and colored lasers, all driven by AI, Sorted’s solution revolutionizes the identification, differentiation, and pinpointing of valuable items on recycling lines. By deploying this advanced technology, Sorted enables more accurate sorting, optimizing resource recovery, and contributing to a more sustainable recycling process.

This innovative application of AI provides a digitized solution to a traditionally physical problem. In its initial use case, Sorted has achieved a remarkable improvement in residual waste recovery, surpassing 50 per cent, by enhancing picker performance. By leveraging advanced technology to augment human capabilities, Sorted has successfully optimized sorting processes, resulting in significant gains in resource recovery efficiency. This tangible impact underscores the transformative potential of AI-driven solutions in revolutionizing the recycling industry and advancing sustainability goals.

Indeed, the recovery of each item by Sorted represents not only additional revenue potential for its customers but also a significant reduction in carbon emissions. By diverting materials from incineration and maximizing their recovery, Sorted helps its customers unlock value from previously discarded resources while simultaneously mitigating the environmental impact associated with waste disposal methods such as incineration. This dual benefit underscores the importance of innovative solutions like those offered by Sorted in driving both economic and environmental sustainability in the recycling industry.

“Sorted was co-founded in 2022 by Arthur Goujon and Luis Espinosa. Goujon brings over 15 years of experience in waste management and technology, having served as Head of Digital at the global waste management company SUEZ. Espinosa, on the other hand, has a track record of scaling numerous unicorns over the past decade, including Uber, Rappi, and DiDi.Sorted’s clientele comprises some of the largest waste management and recycling firms in the UK and France, including SUEZ UK and Cawleys.Arthur Goujon, Co-Founder, and CTO at Sorted, remarked:”