Amazon announces investment in startup that is transforming recycling through AI

O Amazon Climate Pledge Fund recently invested in Glacier, a artificial intelligence and robotics that help the recycling industry work toward a waste-free world. 

Novamont are pleased to be collaborating with the Amazon Sustainability team and others on this #recycling project for biomaterials.♻️ Congratulations also to @glaciertechinc on their funding from @climatepledge.
🔗⬇️https://t.co/Qdp6etoHkP

— Novamont_NA (@Novamont_NA) March 6, 2024

Co-founded and led by Rebecca Hu and Areeb Malik, Glacier uses robots powered by artificial intelligence to automate the sorting of recyclable materials and collect real-time data on recycling streams for recycling companies and consumer brands.

The startup is the second company led by a female CEO to receive investments from the fund.

How AI can help recycling become more efficient

Recyclers have struggled with a shortage of workers and continually rising costs, which have made recycling less economically viable. Understand how artificial intelligence (AI) can change this reality.

Glacier's approach to recycling innovation combines two key technologies. 

The startup's proprietary AI model is capable of identifying more than 30 categories of recyclable materials in real time, as broad as PET plastic and as narrow as a tube of toothpaste. The technology is combined with Glacier's custom robotic design to provide consistent recyclable sorting power with minimal implementation costs.

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Commitment to efficient recycling

Glacier aims to build a more efficient recycling system, with the ultimate goal of preventing any valuable recyclable materials from ending up in landfills or oceans.

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