Manal, from the Class of 2028 and an engineering student at ESILV, is developing ZeroWaste Intelligence, a SaaS solution that leverages data and artificial intelligence to anticipate food demand and reduce waste in the restaurant industry.
The platform combines multiple data sources to help restaurant owners adjust their production volumes and orders. The objective is to optimise stock management, limit losses, and strengthen local supply chains.
A project developed within the ESILV engineering program
ZeroWaste Intelligence originated from the Projet d’Imagination et d’eXploration 2 (PIX2), carried out as part of the ESILV engineering curriculum. This initial development phase helped structure the concept and identify potential use cases in the restaurant sector.
Building on this work, the project has joined the DeVinci Startup (DVSU) ecosystem, the entrepreneurial support structure of De Vinci Higher Educatio. This environment provides project leaders with a development framework including mentoring, workshops, and exchanges with entrepreneurs.
The project now has a web platform MVP, accessible via zerowaste.fr, representing a first functional version of the solution.
Anticipating food demand using data and AI
ZeroWaste Intelligence is based on a simple principle: improving demand forecasting to better adapt food production.
The platform analyses restaurant sales data and combines it with several external variables, such as weather conditions or local events.
This data processing enables real-time demand estimation and production volume adjustments.
The tool targets several operational objectives:
- optimising prepared quantities
- reducing food waste
- improving stock management
- securing outlets for agricultural producers
This approach connects multiple links in the food supply chain, from producers to restaurant owners, to better align supply and demand.
According to the project team, the goal is to ensure that each product finds a buyer, from farm to plate.
A project team from ESILV
ZeroWaste Intelligence is currently involved in several innovation programs and competitions.
The project represents De Vinci Higher Education in multiple contests:
The team is among the finalists of Season 8 of the Make IT Agri program, which highlights technological solutions for agriculture and food systems.
Next steps: presentation at the De Vinci Festival
ZeroWaste Intelligence will also be presented at the De Vinci Festival, held at De Vinci Higher Education on March 26 and 27, 2026.
The project will have a booth within the “Supporting transitions” theme. A presentation is also scheduled as part of the student Pitch Challenge, which highlights entrepreneurial projects led by students from the Pôle schools.
DeVinci Startup, an entrepreneurial support structure
DeVinci Startup supports entrepreneurial projects developed by students from De Vinci Higher Education. The program is open to project leaders from ESILV, EMLV, and IIM who aim to turn an idea into a business venture.
The support framework includes thematic workshops, meetings with entrepreneurs, expert feedback, and mentoring sessions.
Students also benefit from a coworking space and access to a network of entrepreneurs from the Pôle schools. In coordination with academic staff, DeVinci Startup extends entrepreneurship-focused academic pathways, including startup tracks integrated into the programs.
Projects can be supported at various stages of development, from early idea exploration to the creation of a first prototype or MVP. This structure allows students to experiment with entrepreneurship while continuing their engineering or management studies.
Entrepreneurship and innovation within the engineering curriculum
The development of ZeroWaste Intelligence reflects the opportunities offered by academic projects within the ESILV engineering program, which allow students to explore real-world challenges and transform certain initiatives into entrepreneurial ventures.
The transition from an academic project to a growing startup is a common trajectory in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of De Vinci Higher Education.
This post was last modified on 31 March 2026 4:26 pm