AMP Robotics, a developer of robotic technology for the recycling industry and recipient of investment from firms like Sequoia Capital and Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners, is nearing completion of a funding round potentially reaching $70 million, as indicated by sources familiar with the company's strategies.

This new investment reflects AMP Robotics’ ongoing achievements in trial implementations and the growth of its partnerships, leading to a significant increase in the number of deployments of its systems.

The company recently announced a substantial new agreement, marking the largest order it has received to date for its robotic systems designed for waste sorting and recycling.

This order consists of 24 robotic recycling systems powered by machine learning, and is intended for use by the waste management company Waste Connections, demonstrating the effectiveness of AMP Robotics’ technology.

This follows an earlier pilot initiative with an apartment building in Toronto, where residents had the option to participate in a program that shared their recycling behaviors – as tracked by AMP Robotics – to encourage improved recycling practices.

The advantages offered by AMP Robotics’ machine learning-driven robots are substantial. The company’s technology is capable of sorting waste materials with a level of precision and detail that conventional systems cannot achieve, and at a reduced cost compared to many existing waste processing facilities.

As previously reported by TechCrunch, the technology can differentiate between various types of plastics, including high-density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. Furthermore, the robots can categorize items by color, transparency, opacity, and form – such as lids, tubs, clamshells, and cups – and can even recognize brand names on packaging.

AMP Robotics’ robots are currently operational across North America, Asia, and Europe, with recent deployments in locations including Spain and, within the U.S., California, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Earlier this year, AMP Robotics collaborated with Sidewalk Labs on a pilot program that provided residents of a 250-unit apartment building in Toronto with detailed insights into their recycling habits. Sidewalk Labs is responsible for transporting the waste to a Canada Fibers material recovery facility, where sorting is performed by both Canada Fibers personnel and AMP Robotics’ robots.

Following categorization, sorting, and data recording, Sidewalk Labs provides residents with feedback on their recycling performance.

Just last November, AMP Robotics, headquartered in Denver, secured $16 million in funding from Sequoia Capital and other investors to support the initial commercial rollout of its technology.