Pittsburgh startup Clean Plate Innovations has secured a preliminary agreement for an undisclosed amount with healthcare giant UPMC Mercy Hospital.
The startup’s tech takes overhead scans of food trays at the hospital’s campus near Duquesne University to gauge food satisfaction and waste in the patient cafeteria. While it won’t be finalized until spring 2026, the partnership is foundational for the early-stage startup, according to Clean Plate founder Nolan Sulpizio.
“[UPMC’s] initial goal was to have it go to all their locations,” Sulpizio told Technical.ly. “I mean, they still said they see a lot of value and they still want to do it. It’s just got to get postponed.”
UPMC is finalizing a separate partnership before moving on to the Clean Plate deal, Sulpizio said, but that’s not slowing down the barely one-year-old company.
Even though the deal with UPMC is on hold, Sulpizio said Clean Plate is still securing plenty of other partnerships.
At his alma mater, Duquesne University’s Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, Sulpizio and Clean Plate team members will lead an internship program for Duquesne students next semester. Nearby at the University of Pittsburgh, Clean Plate will be featured in classes on sustainability.
Clean Plate is also in talks with US Foods, Shady Maple and Golden Corral, which are all looking to partner with the startup, according to Sulpizio.
“We’re still moving forward,” Sulpizio said.
Clean Plate did not disclose any financials related to the partnerships.
‘Critical alerts’ tell cafeterias when to pivot production
Clean Plate uses machine learning to analyze waste in large dining rooms and track where cafeterias can improve service, according to Sulpizio.
For UPMC, that looks like a small screen wired to a ceiling-mounted camera that sharply warns: “new critical alert.”
“Caesar wraps showing elevated waste levels,” a widget on the screen reads. “Immediate intervention recommended.”
While it may sound as though someone’s lunch is heading for a meltdown, this warning is actually meant to serve as guidance for food providers. In this instance, a critical alert is guiding food workers to revise the meals they provide to save money in the long run.
More than 67,000 patients go through UPMC Mercy’s hospital system each year, likely sparking a big demand in dining facilities. The healthcare provider reported a nearly $200 million loss in 2023. UPMC did not respond to Technical.ly’s requests for comment.
From pitch competition to $130k raised
Nearly a master’s student at Duquesne in sustainability before shifting focus to the startup, Sulpizio said food waste is a chief issue for him.
“My parents, we always grew up that way, especially with food waste,” Sulpizio said. “I’m a South Philly Italian. Food is really big in our culture and especially at home. You don’t waste, you take what you need and you eat it all.”
Clean Plate got its feet off the ground after coming in second place at Techstars Startup Weekend in 2024. The prize package included six months of free office space at InnovatePGH’s Avenu Workspaces, which has been crucial to the company’s launch, according to Sulpizio.
The startup’s growth and slew of promising partnerships came as it has been transparent about setbacks. In April, Sulpizio said federal contract freezes postponed a project with a major research university.
“Now we are scaling,” Sulpizio said, “We’ve raised $130,000 in the last year.”
