Orbisk is a Dutch scaleup committed to reducing food waste using AI technology. The company recently received over €8 million ($8.4 million) in an oversubscribed Series A venture capital investment round led by new partner Regeneration.VC and co-led by existing partner PeakBridge. According to the company, the funds will be used to develop AI technology further, among other operational features.
Tackling Food Waste
Minimizing food waste is a key element in reducing carbon emissions. For example, one-third of the world’s food production goes unused and ultimately discarded. By combating food waste, CO2 emissions can be reduced.
Orbisk says its mission, since starting in 2019, has been to create a more sustainable food system. The company’s AI food waste monitor, “the Orbi,” enables large-scale commercial kitchens to reduce food waste through “process optimization.” The Orbi supports optimization in professional kitchens, such as hotels, cruises, and restaurants. It uses AI to register food waste and identify the operational causes of waste. The data it collects is presented in a dashboard, where users can look for actionable advice for process optimization.
Workers scan the scraps before throwing them in the trash, and then the Orbi takes a picture of it, registers the photo, and puts the data on the dashboard.
“Nobody likes waste and food waste is no exception,” said Martijn Lopes Cardozo, Partner at Regeneration VC. “With 20% of global food waste in hospitality, this is a large environmental and economic opportunity, and as a result, Orbisk is growing rapidly powered by their best-in-class solution.”
A Global Issue
“Since inception, the Orbisk team has demonstrated a relentless focus on solving the global challenge of food waste,” said Thomas van den Boezem, Partner at PeakBridge. “Their unique AI-enabled approach aligns well with PeakBridge’s mission to support bold innovations addressing real industry needs.”
Orbisk operates in over 40 countries worldwide, assisting chefs on five continents in optimizing their kitchen processes. With the new investment, the company intends to expand further. “The Series A investment fuels Orbisk’s ambitious growth plans,” said CEO and co-founder Olaf van der Veen.
In Europe, approximately 25 to 30% of total food production is discarded, while in the USA, this figure approaches 40%. Van der Veen explains, “There is already considerable traction in the USA, and Orbisk can make a significant impact there. Our goal is to establish a stronger foothold in the USA.”