AI-Powered Video Analytics in Waste Bins: How NtechLab Is Transforming Utilities in Nizhny Novgorod

A pilot project in the Nizhny Novgorod region is using AI to track waste collection sites, helping improve municipal services and cut environmental risks.

Computer Vision Tackles Waste Chaos

For NtechLab, this is not the first AI pilot: in Nizhny Novgorod, the company's neural network is already optimizing public transport operations. Now, data from cameras, including those mounted on buses, are also helping modernize utilities.

The system automatically generates performance ratings for contractors and regional operators, encouraging swift violation corrections. For residents, this means fewer delays in waste removal and more transparency in management company operations. For regional governments, it reduces regulatory burden and supports environmental improvements. The technology also shows strong potential for export to CIS and Asian countries facing similar urbanization challenges.

From Local Pilot to Global Application

The system can be adapted to local languages and infrastructure in developing countries. Core markets include Eastern Europe and Asia, where smart waste systems are in increasing demand due to rapid urbanization.

The project could become part of the national program 'Data Economy and State Digital Transformation,' which would accelerate its rollout in other Russian regions. However, limited internet connectivity in some areas necessitates the development of offline analytics and edge computing to ensure stable operation.

Our company is under sanctions. That has certainly made it more difficult to operate in global markets. But today we are actively reentering the world stage—working in Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa. We’re seeing strong demand in the CIS and BRICS countries as well. That’s why we expect international sales to make up about 30% of our revenue this year

Aleksey Palamarchuk

CEO of NtechLab

Five Years of Digital Progress in Utilities

Over the past five years, Russian cities have moved from isolated experiments to a systemic digital transformation of municipal services. In 2021, the government approved a strategic roadmap for digital transformation of the construction and utility sectors through 2030. That same year, Saint Petersburg launched the 'Smart City 2.0' platform, integrating utility services—from online payments to emergency response—into a single digital environment.

In 2022, Moscow and the surrounding region introduced smart waste collection sites. Between 2020 and 2023, utility companies and energy providers increasingly adopted digital platforms, raising the share of Russian-made software in procurement from 60% to 80%.

By 2024, the focus shifted toward import substitution. The Utilities Competence Center selected 12 projects totaling 4 billion rubles, including AI-based water quality control and digitalization of water utilities in the Donbas.

In 2025, Saint Petersburg launched an intelligent street cleaning monitoring system involving over 600 users from 143 organizations, including 23 cleaning contractors.

Nizhny Novgorod’s Model: From Neighbors to New Markets

In the next 1–3 years, the NtechLab pilot may be expanded to three to five additional regions, and integrated with Russia’s public services mobile app. Over the medium term (2–5 years), a full-fledged utilities ecosystem could emerge, combining data from waste sensors and smart meters into predictive models. This would reduce network failures by 30% and resource loss by 20%.

Negotiations are possible with partners in the CIS and Eastern Europe regarding deployment of the Russian-developed platform. The Nizhny Novgorod pilot is not a one-off initiative, but a logical stage in the digitalization of municipal services. According to Russia’s Ministry of Construction, AI will become the foundation of utility infrastructure management by 2030, helping reduce costs and create new export opportunities for Russian IT developers.