A conversation with one of WasteWizer’s Co-Founders
Today, we’d like to introduce one of WasteWizer’s co-founders, Patrick Doyle. Patrick works on Product Development, Electrical Engineering Design, and Data Science for the company to help build our patent-pending BinBar™ Technology System.
Let’s chat with Patrick and get to know him a little better….
WasteWizer: Hi Patrick, tell us about your experience with WasteWizer and how you got involved with the company.
Patrick: I got involved with WasteWizer during the pandemic in 2020. I had been working with the Microsoft Corporation developing hardware for augmented reality but left to pursue some travel. After returning to Atlanta, I wanted to find an opportunity with an early-stage startup. My goal was to get in on the ground floor and help design and build the technology.
WasteWizer co-founder and CEO Thomas Spencer and I grew up together and have remained friends. I knew he was working on a few exciting things, so I contacted him and discussed the opportunity to help “build” WasteWizer. The focus was to solve some challenges he and Jay Brenner, our other co-founder, had defined within the waste and scrap industries. It seemed like a great fit at the time and still is today!
WasteWizer: What was your first impression of the waste and scrap industries, and how WasteWizer’s technology can make a positive impact?
Patrick: Though it was not part of my original background, I’ve always been passionate about conservation, and the waste and scrap industries directly impact conservation and sustainability.
Overall, WasteWizer can add transparency to this ecosystem to reduce the operational costs for our customers by removing trucks from the road, simplifying communication, and helping to assist Environmental, Social & Governance (ES&G) initiatives with better insights into tracking waste and reducing the carbon footprint.
WasteWizer: Can you talk briefly about the primary initiatives you are currently working on?
Patrick: My time is divided between improving our patent-pending BinBar ™device and improving the manufacturing process and our overall customer experience.
I’ve been developing lab and field tests to help characterize and refine our BinBar’s performance under various environmental conditions, as accuracy and performance are top priorities for WasteWizer. Our latest “toy” in the lab is a press that can place the BinBar device under extreme loads to help with characterization and calibration.
WasteWizer: Tell us a little about your background and education and how it plays a role.
Patrick: Since I was a kid, I’ve always had a vast interest in technology and understanding how the world works, which led me to a career in engineering. I studied Physics and Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech, where my scientific background has helped me develop new technology. My engineering education has played an essential role as we discovered a helpful product in business.
Before WasteWizer, I spent several years at Microsoft on the HoloLens team as an Electrical system Engineer. In that role, as part of a large technical team, I worked on prototyping through full-scale manufacturing alongside tremendous mentors. Every day at WasteWizer, I leverage my experience and exposure to manufacturing, and it’s invaluable!
WasteWizer: Give us your thoughts on what sets WasteWizer apart.
Patrick: While the technology we’ve created – the BinBar System – is second to none, the entire WasteWizer team sets the company apart. Everyone has a great work ethic, and we share a unified vision to change an industry. We are all eager to help each other however we can, which is a significant benefit as we navigate the wild ride of building a startup.
We’ve also been fortunate to surround ourselves with knowledgeable and caring mentors, investors, and administrators who help keep us headed in the right direction - and at full speed. WasteWizer is a great place to be a team member, and our customers are seeing valuable benefits from our technology. It’s a win-win! Patrick: I got involved with WasteWizer during the pandemic in 2020. I had been working with the Microsoft Corporation developing hardware for augmented reality but left to pursue some travel. After returning to Atlanta, I wanted to find an opportunity with an early-stage startup. My goal was to get in on the ground floor and help design and build the technology.