Zinc VC backs Potenix to build the on-site energy layer for food waste

Potenix
Oct 1
2 min read

Updated: Oct 2

We’re building a new class of on-site energy system that turns unavoidable food scraps into power using AI assisted engineering biology. Thank you to Zinc VC for backing the vision.

The problem

Globally, businesses waste hundreds of billions of meals a year, enough energy to power cities. Think of the vast quantities of unusable energy stored in, for example, the scraps from hotel buffets, uneaten hospital lunches, off-cuts from processing lines, or catering bins on production sets. The status quo costs food-waste producers a fortune, carbon is emitted at every stage, and vital energy is wasted.

What we’re building

We’re starting with a compact biogenerator that sits by the bin store and turns unavoidable kitchen scraps into on-site energy using AI optimised engineering biology. It runs sealed and low-touch, delivers usable heat or electricity where it is needed, and generates auditable performance data.

Why we’re different

Disrupt the system: Treat food scraps at the point of waste so energy is created, and used, on site, not shipped away.
Disrupt the tech: A combination of AI assisted engineering biology and novel compact hardware built for variable feedstock and fast setup.

This approach enables us to deliver a step change in energy performance.

The data layer (our flywheel)

Every unit is also a sensor. It logs feedstock, conditions, bio-additive profile, and energy output. The model learns what works and updates the site’s run settings and dosing plan. Round by round, the loop compounds:

Unit → performance data → AI model → optimised run settings → more energy → faster payback → wider adoption → richer data

Over time, this becomes a set of proven run settings we can license to centralised players, and it gives us a defensible data moat.

Built with customers

We combine deep AI optimised engineering biology capability with obsessive customer insight. Through our Design Group, businesses across hospitality, healthcare, processing, and production feedback on features and workflows, so we reach product-market fit faster, installs go smoothly, and teams actually want to use the system.

Where we start

We’re focused first on large kitchens with steady waste and heat demand - hospitality, healthcare, processors, and production - where the job is clear: lower waste fees, lower energy costs, and report-ready ESG.