What Sealed Cycle does

Sealed Cycle is a Dutch AI-driven waste management technology company founded in 2024 and headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands. The company develops camera-based waste scanning hardware and a data analytics platform that helps organizations, primarily hospitals and healthcare institutions, improve waste separation, reduce misclassification, and lower environmental impact. Its core technology applies computer vision to recognize and classify waste materials at the point of disposal, with privacy-by-design features such as automatic blurring of identifiable persons in captured imagery.

The product portfolio comprises three integrated offerings: Waste Assist, a magnetically attachable device that retrofits any waste bin and provides real-time separation feedback; the Medisch Afval Scanner (SZA Scanner), a dedicated scanner for Specific Hospital Waste streams deployed in pilot at Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis; and a Dataplatform that aggregates scanner data into composition analysis and actionable sustainability insights. The underlying stack combines edge computer vision inference with a centralized analytics platform, and the company reports a measurable pilot outcome (23% of materials placed in SZA containers were misclassified at JBZ), which it positions as evidence of the underlying separation problem.

The go-to-market is enterprise-pilot driven, with healthcare facilities as the primary beachhead and Renewi as a downstream waste-processing partner. The business model is not publicly disclosed but appears to combine hardware unit sales (Waste Assist, SZA Scanner) with potential recurring software/subscription revenue from the Dataplatform. Commercial traction is concentrated in the Netherlands, with a single publicly named end customer and a single commercial partner, indicating an early commercial validation phase rather than scaled revenue generation.

Name

Sealed Cycle

Legal name

Sealed Cycle

Website

https://sealedcycle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sealed Cycle is a Utrecht-based AI waste-recognition startup that builds camera-based scanners and analytics software to help hospitals and public facilities improve waste separation and reduce environmental impact.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AI Waste Management Hardware

NAICS

Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Advanced/Optical Sorting & Quality Control Services (NIR, AI, Robotics) (BPALADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Circular Economy & Waste/Materials Reporting (Zero waste, packaging) (EUAHAJAL)

Keywords

• AI waste scanning
• Medical waste management
• Computer vision recycling
• Waste composition analytics
• Sustainability waste data

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware + Software Subscription: Sealed Cycle appears to generate revenue through sale of proprietary waste scanning hardware combined with ongoing software/subscription services for data analytics and insights. The products (Waste Assist, Medical Waste Scanner) are hardware devices, while the data platform provides ongoing analytical value.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Sealed Cycle develops and sells AI-powered waste scanning hardware (Waste Assist and the Medisch Afval / SZA Scanner) that uses camera-based computer vision to identify discarded materials, plus a Dataplatform that aggregates scanner data into waste composition analytics, circularity performance dashboards, and actionable reduction insights. The systems install in minutes, operate without Wi-Fi, and use privacy-protective imaging that automatically blurs identifiable persons.

Product overview

Sealed Cycle is an AI-powered zero waste company offering a portfolio of three interconnected products: the Waste Assist scanner for real-time waste separation feedback, the Medisch Afval Scanner (SZA Scanner) for medical waste composition analysis, and a cloud-based Dataplatform that aggregates data from the scanners to generate actionable insights for circularity performance and waste reduction. The hardware products (Waste Assist and SZA Scanner) collect waste imagery data, which is then processed and analyzed through the Dataplatform to provide institutions with detailed waste stream mapping and improvement recommendations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waste Assist AI-powered waste separation feedback device that magnetically attaches to any waste bin and provides real-time guidance to visitors and staff on correct waste sorting. Designed for plug-and-play deployment, it can operate without Wi-Fi and is tuned to specific waste streams. Intended for public venues, offices, and facilities seeking to reduce waste stream contamination at the source.
• Medisch Afval Scanner (SZA Scanner) Specialized scanner designed for medical waste management in hospitals. Performs composition analysis on hospital-specific waste (SZA / ziekenhuisafval), installs in under five minutes, requires no training, and integrates without disrupting waste processing. Targeted at healthcare institutions pursuing Green Deal Duurzame Zorg sustainability goals.
• Dataplatform Cloud-based analytics platform that aggregates data from Waste Assist and SZA Scanner devices to deliver waste composition analysis, circularity performance dashboards, and detailed-level insights for waste reduction. Designed to support sustainability goal tracking and operational decision-making for organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 23% of materials in SZA containers can be processed through less environmentally impactful waste streams
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RenewicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Renewi, a waste-to-product company, partnered with Sealed Cycle for the Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis pilot. Renewi provides waste management expertise and infrastructure while Sealed Cycle supplies AI-powered waste scanning technology. Together they analyze waste streams and develop dashboards for hospitals. The partnership aims to roll out this approach structurally to help hospitals improve waste separation.
• Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis (JBZ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026JBZ served as the pilot site for Sealed Cycle's medical waste scanner technology. The hospital provided access to six departments for the two-month pilot, enabling Sealed Cycle and Renewi to analyze over 4,500 materials in Specific Hospital Waste (SZA) containers. Results showed 23% of materials could be processed through more sustainable waste streams.
• Green Deal Duurzame Zorg (Sustainable Healthcare Agreement)minorOthersSealed Cycle's medical waste scanner is aligned with the national Green Deal Duurzame Zorg initiative, which promotes sustainability in healthcare and aims to reduce environmental impact of healthcare waste.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sensoneo: Sensoneo provides smart waste management solutions including ultrasonic fill-level sensors and waste analytics for municipalities and waste haulers. Comparable as a smart waste technology provider serving waste stream optimization, though uses sensor rather than AI vision approach.
• Compology: Compology uses cameras and AI to monitor waste and recycling containers, providing composition data and service optimization for waste haulers and large waste generators. Directly comparable in applying AI vision to bin-level waste data.
• Greyparrot: Greyparrot applies AI computer vision to waste recognition on conveyor belts and sorting facilities, providing waste composition analytics. Directly comparable in core technology (camera-based AI waste recognition) and data analytics platform model.
• Enevo: Enevo (now part of Descartes) provides smart sensors and analytics for waste and recycling logistics. Comparable as a waste data analytics platform serving enterprises and municipalities, though using fill-level sensors rather than AI vision.
• CleanRobotics: CleanRobotics makes TrashBot, a smart waste bin that uses AI vision to identify and automatically sort waste at the point of disposal. Closely comparable to Sealed Cycle's Waste Assist in target use case (public space waste sorting via AI).
• AMP Robotics: AMP Robotics uses AI and robotics to sort recyclables in materials recovery facilities. Comparable in applying computer vision to waste streams, though focused on MRF automation rather than bin-level scanning.

Broad incumbents

• Renewi: Renewi is a major European waste-to-product company and Sealed Cycle's strategic partner. Comparable as a waste management services provider with sustainability ambitions, though operating at vastly larger scale across diverse waste streams.
• Bigbelly: Bigbelly provides smart waste and recycling stations with compaction and fill-level monitoring for public spaces. Comparable as a smart public-space waste technology provider, though focused on compaction and fill-level rather than AI-based composition analysis.

Emerging players

• Recycleye: Recycleye combines AI vision with robotics to identify and sort waste in recycling facilities. Comparable in applying computer vision to waste stream composition, though focused on MRF automation and robotics rather than bin-level scanning.
• Nordsense: Nordsense provides AI-powered waste analytics using sensor and computer vision data to optimize waste collection. Comparable as an emerging AI waste analytics player, with similar customer profile of municipalities and waste operators.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sealed Cycle