Positive Carbon

Positive Carbon is an Ireland-based startup offering a fully automated food waste monitoring solution for hotels, restaurants, and cities. Positive Carbon uses overhead LiDAR sensors and AI to record and analyze waste that is put into bins. The solution runs on a cellular network and does not require the client to provide internet access or wiring, with free installation as of November 2023. The system’s reporting dashboard generates trends and insights, as well as real-time alerts to help clients reduce food waste by making better purchasing decisions. Positive Carbon claims that its technology has contributed to a 50% reduction in food waste at various sites, diverting over 4,000 tons of waste from landfills as of November 2023.

Key customers and partnerships

Positive Carbon’s solution is being used by players in the hospitality industry and 1,200+ kitchen staff as of November 2023. Its customers include Dublin City University, Sandymount Hotel, The Grand Hotel Malahide, the Airfield Estate in Dundrum, the Dalata Hotel Group, Radisson Blu, KC Peaches, The Woodlands Hotel, the Shannon College of Hotel Management, and Trinity College Dublin. In 2022, Ireland’s third-largest foodservice provider, KSG Catering, also deployed the company’s solution at 10 of its sites.

Fundings and financials

Positive Carbon secured EUR 2.3 million (~USD 2.46 million) during a seed funding round in November 2023 . The company’s previous seed funding round in September 2021 was led by Berlin-based VC firm APX for an undisclosed amount.