Metaspectral has developed an image-analysis platform that processes hyperspectral camera data in real time to distinguish plastic types, grades and soiled materials. The core algorithms were developed by co-founder and CTO Migel Tissera and adapted to deliver faster, tailored compression and processing of hyperspectral imagery. The system ingests images from off-the-shelf hyperspectral cameras to on-premise servers with custom FPGAs that can process data at 37 gigabits per second and stream live imagery to operators. Metaspectral is piloting its technology from a Vancouver facility with the largest recycler in Canada and plans to install nearly 20 cameras to create a showcase plant before deploying into the United States. Recycling is the company’s primary focus today, but the founders also see applications in national security, wildfire monitoring and quality control for processed foods and pharmaceuticals. The company closed a $4.7 million seed round to launch and expand its data analysis platform. Metaspectral builds a hybrid on-premise and cloud-based computer-vision platform that analyzes hyperspectral sensor data with AI to identify materials, chemical composition, defects, and other properties invisible to conventional cameras. The software is deployed across industries including aerospace, defence, agriculture, and manufacturing. The company is working with the Canadian Space Agency under the smartEarth initiative to develop a method to systematically quantify ground-elevation carbon dioxide levels using hyperspectral satellite imagery. Preliminary analysis of satellite-captured data processed by the platform has been shown to measure global carbon emissions within a 3% margin of error. Potential applications cited include environmental monitoring (soils, forests, sea ice), measuring emissions from oil and gas pipelines, detecting leaks from deepwater drilling, and informing carbon-pricing and sequestration efforts. Metaspectral is receiving financial support from the Canadian Space Agency for this project and is hiring engineers and scientists to support development.

Total raised

$5M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Nov 2022