Hygiea is a startup led by an Arizona State University engineering graduates and graduate students. They are taking the waste out of waste management with avant-garde sorting technologies. “Smart-Sort” is an AI based sorting device that will efficiently sort waste streams into categorizes such as compost, landfill, recyclables, etc. Their aim is to use various types of technologies that will drive consumer’s to change their behaviors, educate consumers, create highly sorted waste streams, reduce contamination and eventually reduce the amount of waste overall. They were recently one of five finalists in the ASU Avnet Open and are currently in the RISN Incubator working to scale their technology.
Want to learn more about Hygiea and their work? Listen to this interview with founder Saiman Shetty about Hygiea and their continuous drive towards success.
Internet of Things. Big Data. Blockchain. Digital disruptions are transforming the way we do business and creating new opportunities to address social and environmental challenges. As we enter the “fourth industrial revolution,” how might these new technologies help us transition from our linear “take, make, waste” economy toward a system that is more circular and sustainable over the long-term?
ASU graduate students are invited to answer this question at the Cisco Circular Economy Challenge, an interdisciplinary competition offering $2800 in prizes. In this challenge, teams of students will become Cisco entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions to market opportunities. Teams will apply Cisco and Internet technologies to global problems and opportunities faced by Cisco customers-developing new products and solutions that enable customer success and accelerate the transition to the Circular Economy.
“The competition will present students with a real business challenge we are tackling at Cisco right now,” says Abbey Burns, Cisco Sustainability Manager and member of the judging panel. “We are excited to see what the teams come up with.”
Students interested in competing must form a three- to five-person team in advance and register online (deadline has passed). The competition is open to all graduate students at ASU. Participating teams will receive the specific challenge a week before the March 23rd competition, giving them time to research, formulate ideas, interview experts, and practice their presentations.
“We’re at the number one school for innovation, so I can’t wait to see our students apply their creativity to move us closer to a circular economy,” says Eve Richer, W. P. Carey MBA Student Eve Richer and event organizer as part of a Circular Economy Innovation Project for the Schmidt MacArthur Fellowship. “It should be a fun event and a great chance for students to learn and network.”
