Edinburgh Startup Danu Robotics Builds a Faster, Cheaper AI Recycling Robot

Danu Robotics, a six-year-old Edinburgh company founded by Amy Ma, builds H.E.R.O., a robot that sorts recycling more cheaply and quickly than manual labor. Unlike suction-based competitors, H.E.R.O. uses a pincer claw to pick up items, and its AI model continuously improves as it processes more material. The startup has raised $5 million, holds $500,000 in signed contracts, and counts over 200 prospects in a recycling-sorting market worth roughly $20 billion across Europe and North America.

Ma estimates a facility could earn $485,000 in added revenue against a $160,000 setup cost and $24,000 in yearly maintenance. She plans smaller versions of the robot for venues like airports and hospitals, saying the goal is to "really change how we're managing our packaging waste."

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