Greyparrot : Helping in Saving the World with Computer Algorithms

With advancements in science and technology, making an impact on almost all spheres of our lives, humans as a whole, have realised that some of these impacts are detrimental. Environmental degradation has been one of the most significant adverse effects of industrialisation and globalisation. We, as a species, have come to a stage where we cannot ignore the ill-effects of such activities. With the polar ice caps melting, average temperatures around the world increasing, and mass extinction looking on the horizon, it is time we take our environment seriously. The best way to make our environment a priority is by leveraging technology, and there are start-ups like Greyparrot that are already helping us achieve that shared dream.

Mikela Druckman is the founder of Greyparrot, a start-up that provides computer vision-enabled products and services to companies that want to upgrade their Artificial Intelligence systems. The company focuses on helping the environment by improving waste management systems by using automation.

Mikela has a rich history in the field of technology, and had previously worked with computer vision and augmented reality. She had led several teams and has worked with multiple global brands, winning numerous awards for her projects. Mikela did her BSc in Management from HEC Lausanne from 2005 to 2009, wherein she was selected for the Erasmus Student Exchange program. As a result of this, she ended up completing her degree from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

Following a Bachelor’s degree, she completed a Master’s in International Management from the National University of Singapore. At the time, she was also the winner at a Tech Entrepreneurship competition. She holds a Masters from the ESADE Business and Law School in International Management, where she served as the Vice-President of the CEMS Club. While pursuing her degree, she worked as an intern in the trading division of Pictet and Cie for a period of three months. She also served as the Project Leader of Junior Entreprise HEC for over two years.

While in Spain, she worked as a Junior Analyst for La Caixa for a duration of 10 months. After graduation, she was the Lead Strategist at Galixo; a position she held for over a year. Following this, she joined Blippar, where she played the role of Brand Partnerships Director for almost two years. Soon after, she became the Commercial Director and then Chief Commercial Officer.

While at Blippar, in 2017, she was hailed as one of the leading female digital managers in Britain by Campaign. In 2018, Mikela was also one among the Top 50 Women recognised by the foundation WeAreTheCity for her entrepreneurial work. Mikela served as the Chief Commercial Officer of Blippar, which is a UK-based tech company working on Augmented Reality and Computer Vision. She even won the award for “Best campaign of 2017” given out by DRUM.

Mikela commenced her career in banking, and later on developed a strong interest in technology, leading to her shifting to tech-based start-ups. In 2012, she joined Blippar and helped grow and expand the company by holding several senior commercial and strategy roles.

She was later appointed to the Global Future Council of the World Economic Forum. Through this role, she provides leadership related advice to technologies and companies that leverage AI and VR. She briefs and guides them on matters related to sustainability and governance of such technology. Being very passionate about technology’s impact on the environment and society, she gave her first TEDx talk on the future of mobility in 2012.

It is this passion that led Mikela Druckman, Marco Paladini, and Nikola Sivacki to establish Greyparrot in January 2019, intending to create a positive impact on both society and the environment. Mikela utilised her technical experience gained by working in the B2C sector and translated it into the B2B industry to achieve this goal. What resulted was a company that leveraged technology such as Machine Learning and Deep learning to sustain smart systems that improved existing waste-management methods.

Most wastes end up in a landfill, and most developed countries such as the US, Canada and UK send their trash to China for recycling. When China banned this practice two years ago; most companies had no clue what to do with all the waste in their hands. This is where GreyParrot steps in, using computer vision to power sorting algorithms that help segregate waste. It is interesting to note that the company was named after the African grey parrot, which imitates human behaviours as the company’s AI aims to do so as well.

After securing the required funding via pre-seed funding, they built a prototype in partnership with Middlesex University. They then went on to partner with a recycling facility based in South Korea to test their technology. Greyparrot essentially helps companies understand the different types of waste they generate, and also uses automation tools to sort the waste as per required standards. In 2019, they were a part of Unbound London, which served as an excellent platform for them to showcase their technology.

With the company providing several services and products such as Smart bins which can sort waste automatically, waste monitoring systems that check composition at every stage of the waste management cycle and automated sorting software that help in waste segregation in Material Recovery Facilities, GreyParrot seems well on their way in helping heal the world, one step at a time. Being a part of Forbe’s list of the UK’s most promising start-ups means the company is looking forward to changing the way the world handles waste!