Glacier, a San Francisco-based robotics startup focused on automating recycling, has secured $16 million in a Series A round to scale its fleet of AI-driven waste-sorting robots across the U.S.
The round was led by Ecosystem Integrity Fund, with participation from Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, AlleyCorp, NEA, Cox Exponential, Alumni Ventures, and others.
The new funding will accelerate Glacier’s deployment in additional cities and enhance its data-driven recycling insights platform.
Tackling the Global Trash Crisis with Robots
As global waste production is expected to nearly double by 2050, recycling facilities — known as Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) — are under pressure to process more materials with dwindling human labor. Staffing shortages and high turnover have left many facilities struggling to meet sustainability goals.
Glacier’s solution: low-cost robotic arms powered by advanced computer vision, capable of identifying over 30 types of materials with speed and precision. Its systems are already operating in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Phoenix, and Seattle.
“Would you rather stand at a conveyor belt sorting trash or work in an air-conditioned warehouse? That’s the dilemma MRFs face daily,” said Rebecca Hu-Thrams, Glacier’s co-founder and CEO.
Advertisement
How Glacier Works
Glacier offers its robots through both direct purchase and lease-to-own models, coupled with maintenance training and optional support packages. The startup encourages facilities to self-service minor repairs, aiming to make robot adoption cost-effective and practical for smaller operators.
Beyond physical sorting, the startup is building a data product for MRFs, consumer brands, and regulators. Insights from Glacier’s system can:
- Identify valuable recyclables lost on the line
- Audit packaging recyclability
- Help municipalities fine-tune recycling programs
“When people audit our AI systems, humans consistently perform worse,” said Areeb Malik, CTO and co-founder. “AI is already better at distinguishing materials than the human eye.”
A Broader Climate Mission
Glacier’s backers—including Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund—see robotics as a critical tool in addressing climate change. Smarter, more efficient recycling could significantly reduce landfill waste and carbon emissions tied to virgin material production.
With a fresh injection of capital and a growing fleet of smart robots, the company is poised to reshape how cities handle recycling—making sustainability more scalable, efficient, and tech-driven.
