Sorted

Company Overview

Sorted is a London-based recycling technology startup that aims to revolutionize the efficiency of recycling facilities. The company was founded by Arthur Goujon and Luis Espinosa, who have over 25 years of combined experience in waste management, operations, and technology. Sorted’s mission is to empower recycling facility managers to optimize operations and maximize output through AI-powered solutions for sorting recyclable materials.

Products Overview

Sorted has developed an innovative solution that enhances the ability of human pickers to efficiently sort and recover targeted materials in recycling facilities. Their technology leverages:

• Computer vision
• Spectroscopy
• Colored lasers
• Artificial intelligence

The system identifies, distinguishes and pinpoints valuable items on recycling lines. Key features include:

• Multi-object detection capabilities, able to detect large quantities of items simultaneously
• Continuous machine learning to adapt to new types of recyclables
• Real-time monitoring and data insights for facility managers
• Picker assistance to boost efficiency and accuracy

The solution can be easily retrofitted into existing sorting cabins with minimal installation costs. It operates on a pay-as-you-go model without requiring major capital expenditure.

Founding Team

The co-founders of Sorted are:

• Arthur Goujon - Co-founder and CTO
• Luis Espinosa - Co-founder and CEO

Arthur Goujon previously worked as Head of Digital at Suez, where he recognized the need for innovative solutions in the recycling industry. Both founders have extensive experience in waste management, operations and technology.

Problem and Market Fit

Sorted is addressing several key challenges in the recycling and waste management industry:

1. Increasing pressure from governments to reduce reliance on single-use materials and increase recycled content.

2. Difficulties in meeting demand due to the complex process of sorting recycled materials, especially plastics.

3. A significant missed opportunity in recycling, estimated at $133 billion annually.

4. The need to reduce carbon emissions and avoid increased fees under regulations like the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.

5. The inefficiency of human pickers in recycling facilities, who account for over 50% of operating expenses.

Sorted’s AI-powered solution directly addresses these issues by enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of material sorting, thereby increasing the recovery of valuable recyclables and reducing waste sent to incineration or landfill.

Business Model

Sorted operates on a pay-as-you-go model, allowing recycling facilities to implement their technology without significant upfront capital expenditure. This model likely involves recurring payments based on usage or performance metrics, though specific pricing details are not provided in the available information.

The company generates value for its clients by:

1. Increasing the recovery of valuable materials
2. Reducing waste sent to incineration, thereby avoiding associated fees
3. Improving overall operational efficiency
4. Providing valuable data insights for facility management

Funding and Runway

In April 2024, Sorted raised £1.65 million in a seed funding round. The round was led by Pi Labs, with participation from:

• Archipelago Ventures
• Circular Plastics Accelerator
• Conduit Connect
• Antler
• Angel investors

The company plans to use this funding to expand its business development and technical teams, accelerating its go-to-market strategy. No specific information about the company’s runway is provided.

Competitive Landscape

While the competitive landscape is not explicitly detailed in the available information, it’s clear that Sorted is operating in the waste management and recycling technology sector. The company’s unique selling points appear to be:

1. AI-powered sorting assistance for human pickers
2. Easy retrofit installation in existing facilities
3. Continuous learning and adaptation to new recyclable materials
4. Comprehensive data insights for facility management

These features suggest that Sorted is competing against both traditional manual sorting methods and other automated sorting technologies in the market.

Customers

Sorted has already secured partnerships with major waste management and recycling companies in the UK and France, including:

• Suez UK
• Cawleys

The company’s target customers are likely to include:

1. Recycling facilities (Material Recovery Facilities - MRFs)
2. Waste management companies
3. Local authorities and municipalities responsible for waste processing

Relevant News

• April 2024: Sorted raised £1.65 million in a seed funding round led by Pi Labs.
• In its initial deployment, Sorted reported improving residual waste recovery by over 50% through enhanced picker performance.
• The company claims to offer an average 2.8x return on investment for its clients.
• Sorted’s technology can reportedly increase recovered value by up to 77% and boost picker productivity by up to 50%.

Claire Shrewsbury, Director of Insights and Innovations at WRAP, commented on the importance of Sorted’s technology, stating that it could significantly reduce barriers to market entry in the recycling sector by enhancing the workforce’s ability to extract more material from existing waste streams.