With Spare-it, Laurent Canneva devises a 'digital biopsy' for rubbish bins

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Chloé CONSIGNY

10.08.2026

With Spare-it, Laurent Canneva devises a 'digital biopsy' for rubbish bins

Automatically generated translation

A Doctor of Pharmacy and graduate of the ESSEC Advanced Master's in Marketing Management, Laurent Canneva (M03) spent seventeen years in the pharmaceutical industry before co-founding Spare-it with Laurent Meunier, an engineer and former R&D director at Dassault Systèmes. From its base in Boston, the start-up uses artificial intelligence to help companies manage their waste. We met him.

What does Spare-it do?

Our aim is to help companies measure and reduce their waste, and the costs that come with it. Spare-it was born in Boston from a simple observation: measuring waste is still a blind spot. Yet we have been measuring our electricity consumption since the first meters appeared, back in the 1880s. I co-founded Spare-it with Laurent Meunier, a graduate of École Polytechnique, who developed our technology. For companies, the issue is environmental, but it is also, and above all, economic: measuring your waste better means cutting your costs.

Is regulation, such as the CSRD in Europe, driving Spare-it's growth?

Yes, but not only. In Europe, the regulatory framework is favourable. In the United States, on the other hand, sorting obligations do not exist in every state, and in South-East Asia legislation is still at an early stage. However, our solution can appeal to any company, wherever it operates. Spare-it actually has two subsidiaries, one in Hong Kong and the other in Paris. Regulation is a plus, but it is not the main driver. The data we collect allows companies to track the waste they produce and gives very precise insight into how it is managed. It reveals potential savings, but also ideas for improving the business. Ultimately, the value goes well beyond sustainability.

Which markets are you prioritising?

Europe is the most advanced region in regulatory terms, and European companies recycle more than others. But it is a fragmented market, where decisions are slower than in the United States. To put it simply, I would say that in Europe you fight for small decisions, whereas in the United States a decision, once taken, has a huge impact. So we are very focused on the United States and are getting started in Europe. Our clients are often multi-site, international groups. We enable them to track their waste through a global dashboard.

In practical terms, how does the solution work?

We work with large groups operating across multiple sites worldwide, including PwC, Bain, Starbucks and Capgemini. Scales placed under the bins weigh the waste. To identify items that are in the wrong bin, we use artificial intelligence to carry out a "digital biopsy" of the bin from photos. This analysis gives a sorting error rate and pinpoints areas for improvement. These biopsies are not carried out systematically: the use of AI must remain frugal. For the client, what matters is the data. It is used by procurement and facility management teams, but also by CSR teams. The data makes it possible to identify the least virtuous sites and to engage employees, for example through challenges between the floors of a single building. Spare-it thus addresses three issues: cutting costs, reducing environmental impact and strengthening employee engagement.

For now, we are mainly present in office buildings, and we also work with retail chains. We are starting to roll out an offer for industrial sites, where the impact is even greater. Our solution represents an investment, but it is designed to be deployed at scale. In 2025, we raised 4 million dollars from Crédit Mutuel Equity, alongside a family office and a venture capital fund that were already shareholders.

What is your background?

After qualifying as a Doctor of Pharmacy, I completed my education at ESSEC. I have always been drawn to international work, and I have always admired great entrepreneurial ventures, such as that of Charles Mérieux. In Boston, at Genzyme, the company built by Henri Termeer and now part of Sanofi, I worked in the rare diseases unit. Little by little, my focus shifted from human health to the health of the planet. In the United States, nature is everywhere, and the average American drives through it in a pick-up truck: that is the great American paradox. After seventeen years in the corporate world, where individual work is rarely recognised, I wanted to strike out on my own.

With Spare-it, Laurent Canneva devises a 'digital biopsy' for rubbish bins

2026-10-08 09:56:00

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2026-10-08 15:10:41

2026-10-08 10:04:26

Chloé CONSIGNY

Automatically generated translationA Doctor of Pharmacy and graduate of the ESSEC Advanced Master's in Marketing Management, Laurent Canneva (M03) spent seventeen years in the pharmaceutical industry before co-founding Spare-it with Laurent Meunier, an engineer and former R&D director at Dassault Systèmes. From its base in Boston, the start-up uses artificial intelligence to help companies manage their waste. We met him.What does Spare-it do?Our aim is to help companies measure and reduce their waste, and the costs that come with it. Spare-it was born in Boston from a simple observation: measuring waste is still a blind spot. Yet we have been measuring our electricity consumption since the first meters appeared, back in the 1880s. I co-founded Spare-it with Laurent Meunier, a graduate of École Polytechnique, who developed our technology. For companies, the issue is environmental, but it is also, and above all, economic: measuring your waste better means cutting your costs.Is regulation, such as the CSRD in Europe, driving Spare-it's growth?Yes, but not only. In Europe, the regulatory framework is favourable. In the United States, on the other hand, sorting obligations do not exist in every state, and in South-East Asia legislation is still at an early stage. However, our solution can appeal to any company, wherever it operates. Spare-it actually has two subsidiaries, one in Hong Kong and the other in Paris. Regulation is a plus, but it is not the main driver. The data we collect allows companies to track the waste they produce and gives very precise insight into how it is managed. It reveals potential savings, but also ideas for improving the business. Ultimately, the value goes well beyond sustainability.Which markets are you prioritising?Europe is the most advanced region in regulatory terms, and European companies recycle more than others. But it is a fragmented market, where decisions are slower than in the United States. To put it simply, I would say that in Europe you fight for small decisions, whereas in the United States a decision, once taken, has a huge impact. So we are very focused on the United States and are getting started in Europe. Our clients are often multi-site, international groups. We enable them to track their waste through a global dashboard.In practical terms, how does the solution work?We work with large groups operating across multiple sites worldwide, including PwC, Bain, Starbucks and Capgemini. Scales placed under the bins weigh the waste. To identify items that are in the wrong bin, we use artificial intelligence to carry out a "digital biopsy" of the bin from photos. This analysis gives a sorting error rate and pinpoints areas for improvement. These biopsies are not carried out systematically: the use of AI must remain frugal. For the client, what matters is the data. It is used by procurement and facility management teams, but also by CSR teams. The data makes it possible to identify the least virtuous sites and to engage employees, for example through challenges between the floors of a single building. Spare-it thus addresses three issues: cutting costs, reducing environmental impact and strengthening employee engagement.For now, we are mainly present in office buildings, and we also work with retail chains. We are starting to roll out an offer for industrial sites, where the impact is even greater. Our solution represents an investment, but it is designed to be deployed at scale. In 2025, we raised 4 million dollars from Crédit Mutuel Equity, alongside a family office and a venture capital fund that were already shareholders.What is your background?After qualifying as a Doctor of Pharmacy, I completed my education at ESSEC. I have always been drawn to international work, and I have always admired great entrepreneurial ventures, such as that of Charles Mérieux. In Boston, at Genzyme, the company built by Henri Termeer and now part of Sanofi, I worked in the rare diseases unit. Little by little, my focus shifted from human health to the health of the planet. In the United States, nature is everywhere, and the average American drives through it in a pick-up truck: that is the great American paradox. After seventeen years in the corporate world, where individual work is rarely recognised, I wanted to strike out on my own.