Théophile Agresti, Théo Vitupier and Valentin Ibars, cofounders of WasteFlow ©2026 Alain Herzog
EPFL startup WasteFlow has developed an AI-powered copilot that identifies and measures waste streams, helping sorting facilities work more efficiently. Support from several EPFL entrepreneurship programs helped the company accelerate the development of its technology.
Switzerland generates more than six million metric tons of waste each year, or nearly 700 kilograms per person. Roughly half of that amount is sorted for recycling, including glass, PET, aluminum and cardboard. Even so, contamination remains a challenge: despite efforts by households, recycling centers and local authorities, unwanted materials continue to slip through the net. Sorting facilities rely on a combination of conveyor systems and manual inspection to remove them. But some contaminants are hard to distinguish and escape detection, making it all the way through the process and ultimately reducing the desired purity of the recycled output.
WasteFlow's answer is AI. The startup's technology draws on data from a network of sensors and cameras installed throughout the sorting process. By analyzing waste streams in real time, the system can determine what materials are present, how much there is, how much they weigh and whether they pose a risk. "Our system can currently identify 66 different categories of waste, with accuracy rates reaching 98% for some plastics including PET, HDPE and LDPE," says co-founder Théophile Agresti. The company estimates that facilities using its technology could recycle around 6% more material, thus reducing the amount of waste that ends up being incinerated.
A venture backed by EPFL
In 2023, EPFL students Valentin Ibars, Théophile Agresti and Theo Vitupier came up with the idea for WasteFlow. Since then, they have graduated from EPFL and have grown the business into a company employing 13 people. "We were looking for a field where we could have a real environmental impact," says Agresti. "Waste management is a vast industry, yet many processes still rely on manual intervention. We saw a huge opportunity to change that through technology." The trio joined Blaze, the School's program for student entrepreneurs, which provided structure and a supportive environment. The founders connected with experienced mentors, whose guidance saved them valuable time. The same year, WasteFlow secured a CHF 30,000 Ignition Grant from EPFL and additional support from the Foundation for Innovation and Technology (FIT).
"We'd begun developing our computer-vision model for waste streams, but there were still gaps in our expertise," says Agresti. A BRIDGE Proof of Concept grant from the Swiss government's Innosuisse program and a collaboration with EPFL's Computer Vision Laboratory (CVLab) helped the team move beyond the lab and test the technology in real sorting facilities. They also benefited from EPFL's internship program for master's students and recent graduates: one intern spent six months developing tools to analyze sorting-facility performance and optimize recycling processes. Further internships, funded by WasteFlow and carried out with CVLab, gave students valuable industry experience while bringing additional expertise into the company. "Our next goal is to combine infrared, thermal and depth data to detect hazardous objects and specific components, even when they're partially hidden within piles of waste," says Agresti.
Treating the companies facilities as real-world testing grounds lets us build our system around what operators actually need. We rely heavily on customers' day-to-day feedback and practical experience.
Real-world testing
Since its launch two years ago, WasteFlow has worked closely with its early customers to refine its technology, while raising nearly CHF 1.5 million in funding. The startup's system helps operators determine optimal conveyor-belt speeds, manage throughput and reduce bottlenecks along the sorting process. The technology is already in use at several sorting facilities in Switzerland - including one in Vernier - as well as in France and Spain. The company's customer platform was further improved with support from EPFL's Enabled by Design program. According to Agresti, that was "an important step in making the technology easier for operators to use and simpler to integrate into complex industrial environments."
"Treating these facilities as real-world testing grounds lets us build our system around what operators actually need," adds Agresti. "We rely heavily on customers' day-to-day feedback and practical experience." The next step for WasteFlow is to increase automation, with future versions of the system capable of adjusting certain machine settings automatically and on the fly in response to changes in the waste stream. Ultimately, the company envisions recycling facilities that can continuously fine-tune their own operations.
Startup initiatives for EPFL students
Keen to set up your own company?
Students with a well-developed business idea can apply to the Startup Launchpad student track, which is designed to help promising ventures grow quickly. One option is Blaze, an accelerator program that combines up to six months of coaching with as much as CHF 10,000 in funding. Most participants are master's students. "We set a high bar for entry," says Marius Conti, who leads Blaze and several other programs. "Applicants need to have developed a prototype and must be able to show that there's a market for their idea - and investors who might back it." Blaze has supported 70 projects since launching in 2020. Among them is WasteFlow, one of the program's standout success stories.
Students who have already founded a startup - or are developing a particularly promising venture - can apply for an even more competitive program that lets them complete their master's thesis within their fledgling business. Admission is highly selective, with only two or three projects accepted each semester. Around 20 have been admitted to the program in total since 2022.
Funding is also available for PhD students who want to validate a technology developed in the lab and assess its commercial potential, with the Ignition Grant serving as a starting point and the Innogrant providing additional support for projects that are ready to move to the next stage of development.
Meanwhile, students looking to connect with other aspiring entrepreneurs can join one of several entrepreneurship-focused associations housed at The Station.
Want to think like an entrepreneur?
"Being an entrepreneur isn't just about founding a startup," says Pascal Vuilliomenet, who coordinates EPFL's MAKE program. "It's also about learning to take the initiative and make things happen." Students can acquire the skills they need through a range of initiatives that promote interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork. One of them is Embryo, a one-year program for students looking to develop an early-stage technology. Teams of two to five participants receive coaching, CHF 1,000 in funding and hands-on support to build a working prototype. The MAKE program, meanwhile, is aimed at students who want to contribute to ambitious, technology-driven projects with an educational focus. Each project brings together around 100 students from different disciplines and schools, creating an environment that mirrors the scale of a real company. Flagship projects to emerge from the program include the EPFL Racing Team's electric racing car and Swiss Solar Boat, a solar-powered hydrofoil. And to help turn their ideas into reality, students have access to two specialist prototyping facilities - The SPOT and SKIL - where they can also get support from coaches and student associations.
Interested in studying entrepreneurship as part of your degree?
EPFL has recently launched a new educational hub dedicated to entrepreneurship - a single platform bringing together teaching, programs and resources. Students will be able to develop entrepreneurial skills within their degree program, no matter what subject they are studying and whatever their level - from bachelor's to PhD. All courses will carry credits. "The idea is to make the same opportunities accessible to everyone," says Davide Bavato, who leads the new hub. "Students with a business idea will be able to develop it not only outside the classroom, but also as part of their academic program."
