As African cities continue to grapple with waste management challenges, one Kenyan startup is taking a data-driven and tech-powered approach to the problem. Founded by Eddy Gitonga, T-Bin is reimagining waste collection and recycling through the use of smart, solar-powered waste bins equipped with AI, IoT, CCTV data analytics and free Wi-Fi. The Kenyan waste management sector is not the fanciest and does not get that much publicity but I believe it is an important one that needs to be highlighted.
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T-Bin is short for Tech Bin. The T-Bin is designed to segregate waste at the household and community level. This helps to address the main waste categories including organic, plastic, electronic and textile waste. Each bin has twin LCD screens, street lighting, proximity sensors, aroma diffusion and real-time monitoring. With this cities and organizations to manage waste more efficiently while also improving urban hygiene and security.
“Our goal is to create a circular economy by ensuring proper collection, transportation, and recycling of segregated waste,” says Gitonga. “The T-Bin is intentional in restructuring waste management systems across Africa while promoting sustainability through technology.”
The smart bin is built for public spaces, schools, hospitals, government institutions, transport hubs, and commercial areas, offering a scalable solution for modern cities aiming to meet Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 goals.
T-Bin is currently bootstrapped but is actively fundraising USD $2.5 million to expand operations across the East African Community (EAC) member states. The startup will use the funding to scale production and also improve its AI-powered waste management platform. It will also use it to further deepen partnerships with both public and private stakeholders. I have to say, this is a very ambitious plan but ambition is what we expect from startups right?
With the combination of clean tech and smart city innovation, T-Bin represents a new wave of African startups using technology to solve pressing environmental challenges, one bin at a time.
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