At Working Capital Fund, we back technology that protects workers, strengthens supply chains, and enables a system-level change. That’s why we’re excited to announce our investment in Glacier. The company builds and deploys a purpose-built, AI-powered robotic arm that automates material sorting, improves safety for workers, increases efficiency of material recovery, and strengthens traceability of goods across supply chains. 

While clear, the impact rationale also comes with a recognition that impact evaluation cannot be unidimensional. Most conversations around automation often begin and end with job loss, but should also factor in job safety. Recycling sorters and reclamation workers in the US are exposed to severe injury by machinery, airborne hazards, and toxic waste (LOHP). This job category is hazardous, and that is in addition to the fact that, like other manual jobs, it offers low pay with entry-level salaries below $29,000 (ERI, 2025). Not surprisingly, the industry is characterized by high turnover and vacancies, yet nearly 300 million tons of waste in the US must be processed each year. Glacier breaks this stalemate of demand and supply of workers with a different approach. First and foremost, it automates sorting, which decreases workers’ exposure to toxins and reduces safety risks. Using a robotic arm instead of a large system, holds the potential for increased productivity and job transformation with new upskilling opportunities in operations and maintenance. As automation expands, the Glacier team is committed to building a future of work where workers are safer, better trained, and still essential. 

Glacier’s automated data collection capabilities also enable product traceability helping meet the demand for post-consumer recycled material inputs in the private sector. Glacier will enable producers and recyclers to access product-specific recycling rates and provide insight to the use of products across their lifecycle. 

Glacier will enable producers and recyclers to access product-specific recycling rates, and provide insight to the use of products across their lifecycle.