Sorted Technologies, a London-based recycling technology company, has raised £920k from Green Angel Ventures, existing investor Archipelago Ventures, and angel investors. Developing low-cost AI-powered robotic systems, Sorted Technologies automates the final step of waste sorting in recycling facilities.
Waste generation is growing faster than population growth and the capacity of local recycling systems to manage it. The World Bank estimates that global waste volumes could increase by 50% by 2050 if countries continue with their existing approach. Much of today's recycling infrastructure still relies on manual sorting, with labour accounting for 50-70% of operating costs and limiting how much material can be economically recycled.
Using proprietary computer vision and lightweight retrofit robotics under a Robot-as-a-Service model, Sorted Technologies enables recycling operators to automate sorting without upfront capex while improving recycling rates and workforce efficiency. Early traction has come from some of the largest waste management and recycling companies, such as Suez, Biffa and Bywaters, alongside growing demand across the United Kingdom and Ireland.
This funding round will enable the team to scale its production and robot deployment capabilities to meet increased commercial demand.
Our early customer pilots demonstrated that our technology can significantly reduce the amount of material sent to incineration. With this investment, we are excited to bring our robotic sorting systems to more recycling operators and help unlock greater recovery of materials across the industry.
Arthur and his team's understanding of the waste industry and advanced computer vision capabilities has helped them build a highly differentiated solution. Their low-cost retrofit system requires no upfront capital investment and can be deployed without redesigning existing facilities, making robotic waste sorting accessible to smaller and mid-sized Material Recovery Facilities, all while aiding the increase in material recovery.
