JD Ambati of EverestLabs Talks the Importance of Funding Tech-Based Waste and Recycling Advancements

As the world grows increasingly technologically reliant, so do our waste and recycling systems–and for good reason.

Technological systems that utilize AI and data have time and time again allowed the industry to make leaps and bounds in terms of advancements, and the companies that invest in this are at the forefront of this movement.

EverestLabs is one of these companies.

This tech-based recycling company, founded by JD Ambati, utilizes AI technology to help recycling facilities improve their sorting rates. This allows for increased waste reduction and more recyclable material that can then be sold for profit. 

In order to advance the type of technology EverestLabs specializes in, it requires support from those who believe in the product.

In a recent Q&A with founder and CEO Ambati, Waste360 staff was walked through how the technology works, why it has caught the attention of investors, and what the money being invested is used for.

Continue reading to get a taste of EverestLabs, their AI-enabled recycling operation system called RecycleOS^SM, and the company's recent successes with funding.

Waste360 Staff: How does EverestLabs technology make recycling more efficient? How does the technology work?

Ambati: When I founded EverestLabs, I realized that the recycling plants that process residential and commercial recycling and waste lacked modern technologies and tools to do an effective job.

Today, EverestLabs is fixing the problem of 40% of recyclables ending up in landfills through AI and automation. We developed the first AI-enabled operating system for recycling, RecycleOS^SM, to help MRFs recover 25-40% more waste on average and enable the decarbonization of packaging at scale while contributing to a more sustainable environment.

EverestLabs built the RecycleOS^SM AI engine using proprietary data sets, always-on customer data sets, data from third-party sources, academic research, and more. Our edge machines have an inference time of <15 milliseconds – some of the fastest inference times in the world for edge compute as we get one shot at seeing the objects on fast-moving conveyor lines at recycling plants and then perform various high-speed calculations and make the necessary decisions. To compare, self-driving cars' edge compute takes 100 milliseconds to read and react. Many of our engineers come from self-driving cars background – R&D and commercial experience. 

With RecycleOS^SM, less trash and contaminants end up in landfills. This also helps lessen the pollution in our sea and air that hurts communities. As RecycleOS^SM tracks the objects recycled and missed, it can use EPA data to calculate the environmental savings or costs from the facility. Products from specific brands can be traced, and their recyclability is improved by better packaging design.

Waste360 Staff: With such a high level of success for series A funding, will there be a second series, and what amount of funding are you looking to achieve to support the project?

Ambati: Now was the time to raise the Series A funding because EverestLabs has achieved significant momentum with customer deployments in North America and is planning for further global expansion.

North America’s largest commingled recycling facility – SIMS Sunset Park, Brooklyn uses EverestLabs RecycleOS^SM software and robotics solutions.

EverestLabs started commercializing from the 2H of 2021 after nearly 3.5 years of original R&D to build RecycleOS^SM from scratch as there was nothing available in the recycling industry to address various challenges being faced by MRFs – lack of real-time actionable operational intelligence data, always on real-time AI, easy to use ‘plug and play’ robotics solutions with the highest pick efficacy at the lowest cost per ownership, etc.

Waste360 Staff: Can you break down what this funding will be used for specifically? What amounts will be going to what sectors of supporting the project?

Ambati: The new funding is for investing in sales, operations, and product teams to support a growing list of customers worldwide.

The funding enables EverestLabs to invest in its scaling and go-to-market capabilities, including further commercialization activities that build on its AI-powered RecycleOS^SM operating system, robotics, and unique end-of-arm tools.

Waste360 Staff: What gain is there for the companies who donate funding to the cause?

Ambati: Our seed investors and new investors believe in our vision that we can achieve decarbonization of consumer packaging goods (CPG) at scale by addressing issues at recycling facilities and by empowering CPG brands and packaging companies with actionable insights to increase minimum recycled content and achieve ESG and extended producer responsibility goals. RecycleOS^SM makes all of this easy.

Here is what they’re saying:

Kaz Kikuchi, principal of Translink Capital said, “EverestLabs has clearly shown it can make AI-empowered robotics accessible to any sorting need, profitable, and transparently effective. Through their RecyclesOS solution, they are proving how recycling can and should make sense not just environmentally, but economically. Now more than ever, the world needs a solution to the recycling challenge, and we believe EverestLabs is the answer.”

Ron Sege, partner at BGV adds, “I am very excited that EverestLabs is among the fastest growing of our early-stage portfolio companies in terms of dollar order volume. Clearly, they have hit a sweet spot in the market as recyclers respond to pressure to reduce the leakage of valuable recyclable materials to landfills and deal with labor shortages. The customers I talk to love the ease of installation and use, as well as the flexibility to quickly install in a wide variety of locations in their plants."

Waste360 Staff: Aside from Kaz Kikuchi of Translink Capital, will any other individuals from Translink Capital or other supporting companies be offered to join the EverestLabs’ board?

Ambati: Tyler Tanaka from Translink Capital is joining the board as an observer.

Waste360 Staff: With great success thus far in proving this technology's efficiency, what are your next plans for implementing it elsewhere in the industry?

Ambati: We are focused on making sure that RecycleOS can support all types of recycling operations with AI and automation.

 Waste360 Staff: Are there any improvements that need to be made to the technology before it is capable of achieving the industry-transforming tech it has the potential to be?

Ambati: While we continuously improve our tech, we have already shown to the industry that we have demystified AI and robotics deployments with our solutions.

We are seeing strong adoption from customers who are new to automation by AI or who have used solutions from other vendors.

RecycleOS is truly transforming how MRF operators are running their plants today.

We are pleased with our customer feedback as they are achieving actionable results from our solutions that are easy to use and deploy.