We introduce MOVIRO, a startup developing dispatching agents for waste collection: software that continuously plans and re-optimizes routes so waste management companies can operate more efficiently and run denser tours.
What problem does your startup address and what solution does it propose?
Waste collection logistics is operationally complex and remains underserved by modern software. Waste management companies have to coordinate mixed fleets, variable daily order volumes, multiple disposal sites, and tight time windows, yet many still plan routes manually or rely on rigid, static tools. The result is routes that are not dense enough and limited capacity to absorb last-minute orders.
MOVIRO goes beyond traditional route optimization: we develop dispatching agents that continuously perform the tasks of a human dispatcher — accepting orders, assigning them to the right vehicle and day, fitting in last-minute requests, and replanning when conditions change.
Much of the complexity lies in real-world constraints, such as determining which container sizes can be stacked and combined on a given truck. It is a genuinely difficult algorithmic problem, and that is precisely where our strength lies.
How and why did you start this entrepreneurial journey? Any advice for future entrepreneurs?
Our core team were among the early employees at ride-pooling operator MOIA, where we spent years building large-scale routing and dispatching systems. We wanted to bring that expertise to an industry where the operational challenges are very real and the software is decades behind, and waste collection was a perfect fit.
My advice: for a startup, finding a market with a strong unmet need is one of the best opportunities you can have. When the problem is obvious and existing tools clearly fall short, you can focus your energy on solving it rather than convincing people that the problem exists.
It is also essential to stay close to the people who actually do the work every day: the messy real-world constraints are often exactly where the greatest value lies.
How do you expect the sector to evolve? And what are your expectations for the startup?
The industry is moving from static planning towards dynamic, agent-driven operations: dispatching agents that can react to real-time data instead of producing a plan that is already outdated by mid-morning.
The growing availability of data from sensors and telematics systems — such as fill-level sensors and vehicle telematics — will make truly demand-driven waste collection the norm.
For MOVIRO, the short-term goal is to demonstrate clear business value in real operations: denser routes, fewer vehicles, and less manual work, while progressing from proof of concept to daily productive use.
In the long term, we want to become the dispatching layer on which waste collection companies build their entire planning process.
Are there any upcoming developments you would like to share with other startups?
We are currently running a proof of concept with Buhck Group, a German waste management company.
What is particularly encouraging is that our first results already outperform their current baseline: using real data, our engine was able to serve the same orders with noticeably fewer vehicles than their current manual planning process.
From here, the next step is for dispatching teams to use our daily plans at a live operational site, followed by automated integration into their processes.
In what areas would you like to collaborate with other startups, companies, or organisations?
The most valuable collaboration for us is with waste collection companies willing to run a pilot and share operational data, because that is where our solution can truly prove its value.
We are also interested in working with sensor and telematics providers, since this data feeds directly into smarter dispatching systems, as well as joining consortiums where our optimization expertise can be combined with partners that bring sector access, domain knowledge, or industry credibility.
Could you tell us about your experience with the Open Call organised by TheCircularLab, in which you took part as finalists in June 2026?
Samuel Alonso from Ecoembes reached out to us after seeing us pitch at Tomorrow Mobility and invited us to apply.
Being selected as finalists from a large international field was a very meaningful validation, especially coming from an organisation so closely connected to the waste sector.
The final in Spain was a great opportunity to present our project, meet other founders in the circular economy ecosystem, and see how teams from around the world are tackling waste-related challenges.
The possibility of running a paid pilot with a company from the Ecoembes network is exactly the kind of opportunity that helps a young startup turn a concept into proven impact.