ARIS Robotics – On A mission To reduce waste In The World
Odense-based ARIS Robotics has decided to tackle one of the key issues within sustainability: how we handle our trash and use our resources. By working towards target 9.4 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals of upgrading industries for sustainability, ARIS Robotics aims to change the way waste-material is being handled today.
It all started pre-pandemic when former students at SDU – University of Southern Denmark, Co-founder & CEO, Sina Pour Soltani, Co-founder & CBO, Ann-Mia Ambjerg, and Co-Founder & CTO, Christian J. Eberhardt got inspired to change the multi-holed trash cans that can be found in malls, at train stations, and other places around Denmark. Instead of multi-holed trash cans, ARIS Robotics came up with an idea that changes the way trash is being sorted in public places, in the industry, and other places:
“We are developing a solution that utilizes Deep Learning and image-based classification to sort consumer and industrial waste. Thereby we are shifting the responsibility of sorting waste from people to machines – and reducing the amount of recyclable waste that ends up in the landfill”, Co-Founder and CBO, Sina Pour Soltani says.
An Award-Winning Idea
Right now, waste separation in public places depends on people’s willingness to sort the trash, when they are using the trash can. Sadly, surveys show, that a lot of trash is being sorted wrong. Therefore, ARIS Robotics has made a solution that utilizes deep learning and image-based classification to sort consumer waste, and thereby, the responsibility for sorting trash is moved from the people to deep learning-based solutions. This will naturally cause less amount of wrongly sorted trash, which is another big step in the direction of becoming more climate neutral.
ARIS Robotics’ innovative and out-of-the-box-solution has created a stir, and in 2021, the company won a prize at Odin-awards in the City of Odense. ARIS Robotics won the Tech Award, which is given to a company that uses digital concepts or technologies as a decisive element in products or services. Furthermore, ARIS Robotics won the CBS Startup Award, which is an award that is given to a company that can transform society with business. And as if that was not enough, ARIS Robotics is one of the final nominees for the Danish Climate-Entrepreneur-Award 2022.
“We are very proud of our Odin-Award, our CBS Startup Award, and our nomination for Climate Entrepreneur 2022. The fact that we have won and are nominated for another award is just showing, that our idea is a missing link in the market, and in the way we are sorting our trash today. All industries are wasting recourses, and therefore, it has been very important for us to develop a technology that can solve this problem. By solving this problem, we are not only helping the industries, but we also work towards target 11.6 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by reducing the environmental impact from cities through better waste management”, Co-Founder and CEO, Sina Pour Soltani mentions.
The University of Southern Denmark – A Unique Location for Startup-Companies
University of Southern Denmark – SDU creates unique opportunities for both students and former students by having an excellent startup environment. Furthermore, the City of Odense aims to become the world’s best city for robotics, and Sina Pour Soltani mentions that “there are great opportunities when it comes to upscaling your company. Both companies, investors, and people from the city are adaptable and ready to take in new technologies, such as ARIS Robotics’ solutions. They can see the benefits of making robots do the hard work, such as trash separation, so we are looking forward to implementing our solution here”.
ARIS Robotics is among 36 other SDU-startups all with various focuses, but together, a unique environment with knowledge sharing, network, events, expert help, and much more, the University of Southern Denmark has managed to create a great and unique setting for student startup-companies located in the City of Odense.
Further information:
Rasmus Festersen
Investment Manager
Email: rasfe@odense.dk
Phone: +45 24920903