LIXO, AI SOLUTIONS FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Lixo is a team of passionate professionals dedicated to promoting the model of circular economy and reducing waste. They believe that waste management and valorization are critical components of a sustainable future, and are committed to developing innovative solutions that enable businesses to operate more sustainably.

The company specializes in the development of intelligent computer vision solutions for the waste management and valorization industry. By combining cutting-edge image sensors and visual recognition algorithms, Lixo has created a suite of products that enable waste management professionals to analyze their waste streams in real-time. Their technology allows businesses to better manage their waste, sort it more effectively, and repurpose it at an industrial scale.

The B2B solutions are designed to meet the needs of all stakeholders in the waste management and valorization industry. From waste collectors to sorting facilities and recycling centers, their products are tailored to fulfill requirements of each business. Lixo works closely with clients to understand their specific challenges and develop customized solutions that deliver measurable results.

Lixo is committed to sustainable development and environmental responsibility. The company believes that by promoting the circular economy and reducing waste, they can help create a more sustainable future for all.

Interview with Marjorie Darcet, CEO & Olivier Large, CTO at Lixo.

Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?

Marjorie Darcet & Olivier Large: We are dedicated to helping businesses in the waste management and recovery sector to increase their operational efficiency and competitiveness. Our industrial tools are designed to improve the way waste is collected and managed and to increase the volumes of collected waste at an industrial scale.

Our solutions are customized to meet the unique needs of each stakeholder in the waste management and recovery industry. 

For collectors, our technology enables them to improve their sorting practices and augment the volumes of recovered waste. 

For MRFs, our solutions provide better equipment to deal with growing waste volumes and increasingly complex recycling challenges. 

For recyclers, our technology ensures the quality of incoming sorted flows and increases recycling capacities.

Our ultimate goal is to make recycled materials more competitive than virgin raw materials, both in terms of price and quality. By helping businesses in the waste management and recovery sector to increase their operational efficiency, we believe that we can help create a more sustainable future for all.

Since our founding in 2019, Lixo has analyzed more than 150,000 tons of waste and analyzes over 20k bins per day. Our technology has enabled an industry that is still not very digitized to acquire a more precise knowledge of waste materials and their potential. We are committed to continuing to develop innovative solutions that allow businesses to operate more sustainably and efficiently.

E.E: What’s the news about new products?

M.D & O.L: We believe that by constantly improving our technology and adding new features, we can help businesses in the waste management and recovery sector to operate more efficiently and sustainably.

We regularly release product updates that include new features, such as more powerful algorithms, enhanced detection capabilities, and new Key Performance Indicators (KPI). Our vision is to create a platform that is always at the forefront of innovation, enabling our customers to stay ahead of the competition and achieve their sustainability goals.

Our most recent update is a feature that allows our customers to analyze collected waste by neighborhood. This feature provides detailed information on how to improve waste collection and boost circularity at both a local and industrial level. By examining waste at a neighborhood level, businesses can gain a better understanding of the specific needs of each community and develop customized solutions that deliver measurable data.

E.E: What are the ranges of products?

M.D & O.L: We are proud to serve clients all along the waste management value chain, including collectors, sorting facilities, and recyclers. We believe that by working closely with our clients and developing AI solutions, we can unlock the true value of waste.

Over the past few months, we have made significant improvements to the performance and features that we offer to our waste hauling clients. Our technology is now more powerful and flexible than ever before, enabling us to adapt to a wide range of vehicles, settings, and geographies. As a result, we have become a clear market leader in waste collecting technology.

E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?

M.D & O.L: The waste management industry has been an essential part of human societies since the beginning of time. People always had to find ways to dispose of their waste, as such, the industry has evolved to meet the growing demand for efficient and sustainable waste management solutions. However, despite the critical role it plays in modern society, very little innovation has emerged in the waste supervision industry over the past few decades.

We believe that this lack of innovation presents a significant opportunity for us to make a meaningful impact. By developing cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions, we can help revolutionize the waste management industry and drive sustainable growth on a large scale.

Our vision is to create a more digitized and efficient waste management industry that maximizes the recovery of valuable resources and minimizes environmental impact. By leveraging the latest advancements in technology, we can help businesses in the waste management and recovery sector to achieve their sustainability goals. Overall, we are committed to driving circularity at scale and creating a more sustainable future for all. 

E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?

M.D & O.L: The waste management industry is undergoing significant changes, driven by a variety of trends that are shaping the story of the industry. 

These trends include:

Market concentration and increased investment: Waste management requires significant investment in trucks, recycling facilities, waste sorting machines, and other equipment. As a result, companies are getting bigger to be able to bear those investments. This is leading to market concentration, with larger companies acquiring smaller ones to expand their operations and gain a competitive advantage.

Acceleration of digitization and traceability: For a long time, the waste management industry heavily relied on pen and paper. However, this is changing fast, thanks to many different players, for example Lixo, Hesus, and others. The industry is currently undergoing a swift digital transformation, adopting cutting-edge technologies such as sensors, IoT devices, and big data analytics to effectively monitor waste flows and optimize operational processes. This leads to greater efficiency, transparency, and traceability of waste in the industry.

Increase in regulation: In such a market, regulation plays a major role in shaping the direction of the industry. Landfill taxes, extended producer responsibility schemes, and other regulations are now becoming more common in many parts of the world, including North America, Europe, and Asia. This is driving businesses in the waste management and recovery sector to adopt more sustainable practices and invest in new technologies that can help them comply with regulations while also reducing their environmental impact.

E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?

M.D & O.L: We are proud to offer a core product that is truly innovative and unique in the waste management industry. Our waste analysis tool is designed to work anywhere, in real-time, and is based on innovative technology such as computer vision, IoT, and web tools.

Our waste analysis tool uses AI algorithms that analyze pictures and data collected by our IoT devices. This enables us to provide our clients with real-time insights into their waste streams, including data on the type of waste being generated, the quantities of each type of waste, and other key metrics. Our web tools make it easy for clients to access this data from anywhere, allowing them to make informed decisions about their waste management practices.

But perhaps the most innovative aspect of Lixo is that we provide data that our clients have never had access to before. By leveraging the latest advancements in technology, we can help businesses in the waste management and recovery sector to gain a deeper understanding of their waste streams and develop customized solutions that yield tangible outcomes.

E.E: What estimations do you have for 2023?

M.D & O.L: In 2023, we are accelerating the deployment of our solutions worldwide to become the market leader in waste collection analysis. We are starting to extend our solutions to adjacent markets such as biowaste, electronic waste, professional waste, and more. 

Our waste analysis tool has already gained significant traction in the waste management industry, thanks to its innovative technology and real-time data insights. By hastening our worldwide implementation, we aim to expand our reach and help more businesses optimize their waste management practices and reduce their environmental impact.

In addition to our core product, we are also exploring new markets and developing customized solutions that meet the unique needs of each market. As an illustration, within the biowaste market, we are actively innovating solutions that empower businesses to extract valuable resources from organic waste streams, subsequently converting them into renewable energy or other marketable products. Furthermore, in the electronic waste market, we are exploring new ways to recover valuable materials from discarded electronics in parallel to reducing the environmental impact of the rapidly growing electronic waste stream.