Reshaping the global scrap recycling industry with artificial intelligence
Hangzhou Tianyan Zhilian Technology Co., Ltd. built the world's first identification / valuation / trading platform for bulk scrap recycling. Combining AI+CV technology with decades of hardcore industry know-how, we created deployable intelligent "eyes" and "brains" for the recycling industry, precisely solving the pain points of mixed, non-standardized scrap, connecting the global industry chain through information technology to enable large-scale cross-border platform trading.
Founder Thomas Tan graduated from Auburn University in the United States, entered the recycling industry in 2010 and founded CBM International Resources. With his self-built scrap classification and pricing system, he grew the company to the 8th largest in North America and won the Metal Excellence Award from S&P twice. In 2021, he returned to China with his family and founded DoctorScrap in Hangzhou, with 6 million RMB funding from the National Overseas High-Level Talents Innovation Support Program and 5 million RMB seed investment from MiraclePlus.
Over 146 billion tons of scrap are generated each year worldwide, yet the global recycling rate is less than 20%. We firmly believe there is no real scrap, only misplaced resources. Take recycled aluminum: every ton recycled saves 95% of energy, 10.5 tons of water, avoids mining 7 tons of ore, and reduces CO2 emissions by 0.8 tons. We hope that one day landfills will transform into gardens, incinerators will no longer emit thick smoke, and every bit of scrap will be fully utilized.
2010 · Founder entered the North American scrap recycling industry
2016 · Started accumulating scrap images and melting data, building the world's largest scrap database
2021 · DoctorScrap platform launched in Hangzhou, integrating identification, valuation and trading
2022 · Selected for the Google for Startups Accelerator
2023 · Platform GMV exceeded $300 million USD
2026 · Serving users in 30+ countries and regions, advancing full-chain intelligence
