Innovation

Ecotone’s flagship product, ZEUS, is the result of rapid iterations of a fully automated anaerobic composting system, setting the company apart in the food waste space. Designed with user accessibility in mind, ZEUS simplifies composting for organizations looking to reduce their food waste footprint. Complemented by Soil Sauce—a nutrient-rich byproduct used as a soil additive—Ecotone’s technology reflects its mission to “empower communities to redevelop and grow through sustainable food practices.” By prioritizing innovation and usability, Ecotone is making sustainable waste solutions more attainable and impactful.

The ZEUS composting system diverts organic waste from landfills, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by converting food scraps into Soil Sauce, a nutrient-rich soil enhancer. Each unit is estimated to cut 130 tons of CO₂ annually. Unlike traditional digesters made from carbon-intensive stainless steel, ZEUS is built with lower-impact materials such as PVC, high-density polyurethane, and recycled plastics—demonstrating Ecotone’s deep commitment to sustainability. This materials innovation not only reduces the product’s carbon footprint but also distinguishes ZEUS in a crowded market. As founder Dylan noted, he isn’t concerned about competitors, given that ZEUS offers a more environmentally responsible and user-friendly solution.

Ecotone Renewables wasn’t founded to reinvent composting, but to improve existing solutions and make sustainable food waste practices accessible to everyday users. This mission led Dylan and his team to a clear customer niche: restaurants and food service businesses eager to reduce waste but constrained by the downtime and inefficiencies of traditional composting methods. By addressing these pain points, Ecotone empowers sustainable communities and makes composting a practical, scalable option for anyone ready to participate.

Inspiration

ZEUS, which stands for Zero Emission Upcycling System, is a completely automated anaerobic composting system, the first of its kind. It was born from a redirected aquaponics project that Dylan was involved in at Carnegie Mellon University. After encountering many difficulties in cultivating the growth of vegetation and aquatic animals, the group decided to pivot and focus on composting. Dylan says, they simply “purchased an existing composting solution and found everything that was wrong with it.” In this journey to discover what gaps needed to be filled in the food industry, the group found that current composting solutions were expensive and unreliable, often requiring a lot of knowledge about hardware due to frequent and inconvenient breakdowns. While the science in terms of the composting process was sound, the machinery was not, and Ecotone Renewables stepped in to make sustainable food waste management realistic for the food service industry.

Overall impact

According to the Ecotone Renewables website, roughly 12 tons of food waste is processed annually when accounting for all of the ZEUS anaerobic digesters being used currently. Looking at an even shorter-term scale, this leads to roughly 500 lbs of food waste being composted per week. While this only scratches the surface with the amount of food waste that is being produced in the US, with Pittsburgh alone producing roughly 89,000 tons per year, Ecotone has been able to offer a promising solution to many communities. In the long-term, Ecotone’s impact is resounding. Their work actively decreases the methane that is emitted into the atmosphere due to “typical” waste management activities. Furthermore, side products like Soil Sauce provide a safe, reasonable, and healthy alternative to traditional fertilizers. With the future deployment of ZEUS systems, composting will become a new norm for food service businesses across the country, and, as Dylan hopes, the world.

Business benefit

The development of ZEUS and its companion product, Soil Sauce, has enabled Ecotone to scale its operations and emerge as a leader in sustainable waste management. From a single prototype to nine operational units across the U.S.—most in Pittsburgh—Ecotone is poised for further national and global expansion. This growth is driven by a commitment to iterative design and community feedback, which continually refines their offerings. By delivering a reliable, fully automated composting solution, Ecotone stands apart from traditional, labor-intensive methods, offering food service businesses a practical, cost-effective path to sustainability.

Dylan’s standout moments are for each and every launch of the composters, highlighting the importance of continual growth and community engagement as drivers of the business's success. One moment that underlined Dylan and his team’s commitment to sustainability was when he passively mentioned that he was on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” this past December, and although it was a remarkable opportunity, he would have “rather had another composting unit launched instead,” as that is a greater measure of success.

Ecotone’s work extends just beyond technology - it also empowers communities to rethink their relationship with food waste. By partnering with local restaurants, schools, and other businesses, Ecotone enables organizations to actively participate in making change. The solution enables the reduction of the burden of food waste management while providing such tangible benefits: nutrient-rich Soil Sauce, which can support farms and gardens, or circularly return to the site that generates the food waste. These public events and community launches reinforce the social mission by educating attendees on the importance of food waste management. 

Social and environmental benefit

Through ZEUS and Soil Sauce, Ecotone Renewables tackles various initiatives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Firstly, ZEUS supports Goal 11 which is to make cities resilient and sustainable. They hit target six of this goal through their improvements to waste management systems. As opposed to traditional methods of discarding waste into dumpsters, ZEUS offers a way to upcycle food waste, and this helps decrease the adverse effects of food waste that large cities, such as Pittsburgh experience. In addition to Goal 11 , Ecotone Renewables also makes progress in slowing down the effects of climate change, therefore helping Goal 13. Goal 13 works towards combating climate change and its impacts, and Ecotone does this by lessening their communities’ methane emissions through composting instead of having food decompose in landfills. In addition, Soil Sauce is used to support the growth of more plants in the future. With these efforts, Ecotone Renewables actively addresses environmental challenges and contributes to a more sustainable future with its circular food solution.

Overall, Ecotone Renewables progress over the years and commitment to continuous improvement demonstrates how innovation, sustainability, and engagement with your community can create meaningful change. Through their main products, ZEUS and Soil Sauce, they have created a more practical and user-friendly approach to food waste management and encourage like-minded people to rethink their food waste disposal practices. As they continue to grow as a company, their impact on their community and environment will also continue to do so. 

Interview

Dylan Lew, CEO