Humara Raises €1.2M for AI Waste Plant Design Software

Spanish AI innovator Humara has successfully closed a €1.2 million Seed funding round, injecting capital to accelerate the development of its groundbreaking physics-based software for waste and recycling plant design. The investment, spearheaded by Impact Shakers with participation from Inclimo, Zubi Capital, Ship2B Ventures, and an existing angel syndicate, aims to drastically reduce design timelines from months to mere days.

The company's proprietary platform revolutionizes the typically protracted engineering process for waste infrastructure. By simulating 82 distinct waste materials through virtual separation equipment, Humara's technology slashes design cycles, enabling faster deployment of critical facilities. This efficiency gain is crucial in a sector grappling with increasing waste volumes and the urgent need for advanced recycling solutions. The global waste management market is projected to reach significant figures in the coming years, underscoring the demand for such technological advancements.

Humara offers two core solutions: Humara Design and Humara Operate. The Design module provides engineering teams with tools for mass balance calculations, equipment dimensioning, and scenario analysis, replacing outdated spreadsheet and CAD workflows. The Operate module extends this capability into live plant management, transforming static models into dynamic Digital Twins. By integrating real-time operational data from SCADA systems and optical sorters, it delivers predictive insights and supports immediate decision-making on the plant floor.

Early adopters of Humara's technology have reported substantial operational improvements. These include a 4% reduction in landfill rejection rates, a 4% increase in material recovery, and significant cost savings, with some facilities seeing an annual profit uplift of up to €800,000 and a 5-7% decrease in operational expenditures. These tangible results highlight the platform's potential to enhance profitability and sustainability within the waste management industry.

With over 250 plants across Europe and Latin America already benefiting from designs facilitated by Humara, the company serves prominent clients such as Veolia, FCC, PreZero, EGF, Ecoembes, and Bianna. These organizations leverage Humara to achieve cost reductions exceeding 70% and to confidently pursue complex tender opportunities. The fresh capital will fuel expansion into new European and Latin American markets, broaden the range of waste streams supported, and support the rollout of Duplantis, an AI copilot designed for real-time operational decision support.

Laura Rodríguez Álvarez, co-founder and CEO of Humara, emphasized the critical need for modernization in waste plant engineering, stating, “The gap between current engineering practices and operational realities is substantial. This funding allows us to accelerate our mission, expanding our reach to more waste streams and markets, and crucially, introducing a live operations layer that empowers plant personnel to make swift, informed decisions.” The company plans to bolster its commercial teams and product development to meet growing global demand for efficient and intelligent waste management solutions.