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Waste Recovery & Management Tech
Overview
Keeping waste out of landfills with sensors, robotics, and innovative recycling technologies
Global waste levels are rising, and the US leads the world in terms of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation. Conventional waste management methods adhere to a linear model, where an increasing amount of waste ends up in landfills. Given the sustainable development and climate change goals being set to promote a circular economy, there is a growing need to streamline the waste management and recovery process and improve currently low recycling rates. To this end, several startups are developing smart methods using sensors, robots, IoT, AI, and innovative recycling technologies to collect and track waste, identify recyclables, and improve recycling rates. Startups attempting to create a business out of waste are in high demand from municipalities and companies across the country.
Industry Updates
Market Sizing
The US Waste Recovery and Management Tech market could reach USD 39.2 billion–49.6 billion by 2027
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Market Mapping
Recycling startups account for more than half of waste recovery and management industry startups. The majority of these companies focus on recycling plastic, textiles, and electronic waste, aiming to keep the waste out of landfills by giving it a second life. Additionally, these players have attracted the most funding.
The recycling segment is followed by waste monitoring startups that primarily use sensor-based technology and operate a cloud-based platform to allow residents and businesses to manage their waste levels and build an efficient trash pickup system. Lastly, around one-sixth of startups focus on waste sorting, using robotic and AI- based technology to sort and identify recyclables.
More than two-thirds of the startups across all of these segments are at the go-to-market or expansion stages of technology development and customer acquisition.
Waste monitoring
Waste sorting
Recycling solutions
Recycled Plastic
Recycled textiles
Recycled electronic waste
Recycled composite materials
Other recycled materials
Recycled energy
The Disruptors
Well funded recycling disruptors chart a path for growth
More than half of the startups in the waste recovery and management industry focus on recycling with a focus on textile and plastics. Most of these companies are in the go-to-market or expansion stages and use commercialized technology that enables them to recycle waste into materials that are suitable for secondary use. These companies are relatively well funded and experiencing high demand for their unique proprietary technologies. These startups are also actively pursuing customer partnerships with established companies such as Panasonic, H&M, and Ralph Lauren, to strengthen their market presence.
A smaller number of startups focusing on waste monitoring and sorting solutions have also reached the go-to-market and expansion stages. These companies mainly target municipalities, Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), and commercial businesses to deploy their solutions for improving the waste collection and sorting process. These startups are crucial for identifying recyclables and in turn improving recycling rates overall.
Funding History
Competitive Analysis
Incumbents
Traditional waste management firms adopt sensors and smart technologies
Startups in the industry primarily face competition from established general waste management service providers, which have started adopting sensor and recycling technologies via in-house innovations to recover and manage waste. This includes traditional waste management leaders such as Waste Management and Republic Services, together capturing more than half the waste management market share in the US, and further increasing their presence in the traditional space through mergers. Additionally, the industry hosts waste management players that pioneered the transition to smart waste monitoring and recycling technologies, such as Contelligent and Umicore, which have a strong presence in smart waste collection (using sensors) and recycling (electronic waste [e-waste]) methods.
In the meantime, large companies across various industries are also entering the space by focusing mainly on improving recycling rates. This includes companies such as Dell, Ford, Danone, H&M, and SC Johnson. These companies are partnering with or investing in startups to support their efforts in giving waste a second life.
Notable Investors
