AI and sustainability; "The battle we all have to win"

VCG.AI was founded in 2022 by Jon Goriup and Mateja Dermastia and is a Stuttgart-based company specializing in artificial intelligence and big data. VCG.AI stands for Value Chain Generator - an AI and big data platform that aims to advance the bio-based circular economy by converting industrial byproducts and waste into profitable assets that have a positive impact on the climate. The result: the most practical, profitable and effective circular solutions for every company, every waste and every location. Co-founder and CEO Jon Goriup in /thema/Interview Interview:

How did you come up with the idea of ​​starting your own company?

"In our previous start-up, we mainly focused on traceability systems for the food industry and its supply chains. We discovered that a lot of waste is generated along these supply chains, which on the one hand causes costs and on the other hand also has a major impact on the climate. That was the starting point for us to think about what happens to the waste. Because there are many ways to recycle this waste or byproducts, but they are simply not used. And that's how the idea for the Value Chain Generator was born."

What makes your company unique?

"We realized that the waste problem is not just a single company's problem, but that it requires a scalable solution for millions of companies worldwide. That's why we developed this data and AI approach to automate a large part of the very time-consuming and expensive processes and make them more efficient.

It's about finding out who produces which byproducts, who needs which resources and how to connect the right companies with each other. However, there is little to no data available for this. So we developed a unique forecasting system that supports the matchmaking process and the determination of supply and demand. In Germany alone, we have already identified over a million companies in this way."

Why is the topic of sustainability so important to you?

"I think that's the battle we all have to win. Because if we want to have long-term prosperity and a good life on earth, we have to solve the issue of sustainability. That's why we designed VCG so that we can find a solution for every company worldwide. We don't have much time left and we really have to accelerate and largely automate the approach to the sustainability problem."

What fears did you have when you started the company? And how do you assess them from today's perspective?

"I don't know if you can call them fears, but there were certainly certain uncertainties because it's a big risk and you don't know exactly how things will turn out. At the same time, we were aware of the lack of innovation in this area and saw the entrepreneurial opportunity and the potential impact. So we assessed the situation and then decided that we would definitely go through with it."

How did you come to settle here in Stuttgart?

"Stuttgart offers a great support system for start-ups, and our existing partnerships and networks were key reasons for choosing Stuttgart. We are currently based in bwcon's offices on Seyfferstrasse and work very closely with many R&D institutions in the region as well as the University of Hohenheim, from which we also recruit employees. We obviously benefit from this additionally."

Why did you decide to become a member of bwcon?

"When we started out in Stuttgart, bwcon really helped us a lot. Not only in terms of office space, but also in terms of start-up funding and the right contacts in the local ecosystem to get to where we are today. That's why it was a no-brainer for us to become part of the bwcon network."

How do you envision the near and distant future for VCG.AI?

"By the end of this year, we want to be active in 15 European countries, and we are currently in the process of entering the French and Portuguese markets. Our long-term goal is to become a global company that helps companies around the world to massively reduce their CO2 emissions and transform by-products and waste into valuable materials. We already work with well-known international brands in the food industry, and of course we want to expand this even further in the future."

Is there a particular project you are particularly proud of?

"Yes! For example, we worked with a large brewery and were able to turn net costs of over 200,000 euros per year into a profit of over a million euros. Today we work with some of the biggest names in the industry - we are very proud of that. We are also proud to be working with one of the largest food retailers in Portugal and optimizing their entire supply chain - that's hundreds of production units with many different processes and waste streams."

Speaking of successes: a few months ago you won the Green Tech Start-up Competition in Heidelberg and received the EIC Accelerator. What opportunities does this open up for you?

"Such competitions are a very good way to present yourself to a new audience and to make new contacts with potential customers, investors and partners. Through the EIC Accelerator we are receiving funding of 2.5 million euros. The money comes at exactly the right time and enables us to take VCG's core technology to the next level and expand our market presence. So that VCG.AI will be the first point of contact when it comes to the topic of circular economy."

Further information can be found on the VCG.AI website.

AI and blockchain funding
Start-ups like VCG.AI also find a point of contact in the AIBC EUROCLUSTERS project. The aim of the project is to promote the development of solutions in the field of artificial intelligence and blockchain by European SMEs and start-ups, especially those that support digitalization. In addition, the implementation of AI and blockchain applications in various industrial ecosystems (e.g. manufacturing, mobility, logistics, energy) is promoted to enable digital transformation and a greener economy.

The AIBC EUROCLUSTERS project is funded by the European Commission under the SMP Cosme program. Further information is available online at http://www.bwcon-research.org bwcon website.