The 2022 Global Cleantech 100 list produced by Cleantech Group names ISRI member AMP Robotics Corp. North American Company of the Year. North American Company of the Year is awarded to the highest-ranked company in North America, according to the methodology of the annual program.
The 2022 Global Cleantech 100 is the 13th edition of the prestigious annual guide to the leading companies and themes in sustainable innovation. It features private, independent, and for-profit companies leading the transition from commitments to actions in the global efforts to reach net zero.
“On behalf of our entire team working to modernize recycling, it’s a tremendous honor to be recognized by Cleantech Group as North American Company of the Year,” says Matanya Horowitz, founder and CEO of AMP. “The role of the circular economy is becoming more important than ever, especially with the rise in sustainability and recycled content commitments and climate-related goals. Advanced technologies like ours, combined with broader awareness and appreciation for the environmental and economic impacts of keeping resources in use, is propelling recycling toward an inflection point. These technologies are strengthening existing infrastructure and enabling the development of new infrastructure to maximize the volume and quality of recycled feedstock at a lower cost than what might have been possible previously, creating value for companies across the circular economy.”
The annual Cleantech 100 combines Cleantech Group’s research data with qualitative judgements from nominations and insight from a global, expert panel of leading investors and executives from corporations and industrials active in technology and innovation scouting. The expert panel broadly represents the global cleantech community and results in a list with a powerful base of respect and support from many important players within the cleantech innovation ecosystem.
“We look forward to seeing the progress and future impact of our 2022 Global Cleantech 100 award winners,” says Richard Youngman, CEO of Cleantech Group. “We hope to see them, and their peer companies, help propel a three-decade transformation to net zero before 2050.”
AMP Robotics applies AI and robotics to increase recycling rates and cost-effectively recover recyclable materials for the global supply chain. With deployments across North America, Asia, and Europe, AMP’s technology finds and sorts recyclables in municipal waste, precious commodities in electronic waste, and high-value materials in construction and demolition debris.
The AMP Cortex™ high-speed robotics system automates the identification and sorting of recyclables from mixed material streams. The AMP Neuron™ AI platform trains itself to recognize different colors, textures, shapes, sizes, patterns, and brand labels to identify materials and their recyclability. Neuron then guides robots to pick and place the material to be recycled.
2021 was a big year for AMP. The company doubled its volume of robotic system installations across 25 states to grow its fleet to nearly 200. The firm received a Colorado 2021 “Inno on Fire” award, and the National Waste and Recycling Association’s Innovator of the Year award. Ernst & Young named Horowitz an Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 Mountain Desert Region Award winner. The AI Breakthrough Award for Best Deep Learning Company went to AMP. The company was named to the 2021 CNBC Disruptor 50, the Denver Post’s Top Workplaces 2021, and Built In Colorado’s 2022 Best Places to Work Colorado among midsize companies.
In January 2022, AMP started working with The Happy Beetle, a Denver-based door-to-door recycling subscription service, to improve detection and diversion of hazardous materials found in the waste stream. When not properly recycled or disposed of, items like propane tanks, pressurized containers, batteries, and other electronics can cause serious safety issues at recycling facilities. The Happy Beetle collects these and other difficult-to-recycle materials and loans them to AMP so it can train its AI to recognize potentially hazardous materials wherever its systems are deployed.
Photo courtesy of AMP Robotics.
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