Arizona startup tackles food waste with solar drying technology

A University of Arizona startup is bringing a solar-powered drying tower to market to help combat one of the world’s most pressing challenges: food waste. 

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The company, Kuairu, was founded by CEO Renata Coelho, co-founder Pedro Coelho, and Arizona professor Goggy Davidowitz, who developed the tower through his research in the College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences. 

Tech Launch Arizona, the Arizona unit that helps university innovators commercialize inventions stemming from their work, is working with the team to help them through the process, connect them with investors, and position them for future success. 

Every year, 40 percent of the food produced in the United States never makes it to a plate. Instead, it ends up in landfills, creating methane emissions and wasting the water, labor, and resources invested to grow it. The solar drying tower offers a sustainable solution by rapidly drying fruits and vegetables, making them shelf-stable while also reducing pathogens and recapturing the water evaporated during the drying process. 

For Renata Coelho, the company’s mission is both practical and personal. “The problem of food waste is massive and urgent,” she said. “Farmers put in incredible work, time, and resources to grow crops. It is heartbreaking to see those crops end up in landfills. Our goal is to give that effort a second life.” 

Davidowitz, who has spent decades studying insect physiology, began the project by exploring sustainable feed for insect livestock. His research evolved into a broader vision for addressing food waste. Standing 25 feet tall, the solar drying tower harnesses vertical design to create natural heat gradients, drying produce in hours rather than days. Trials have shown it reduces harmful bacteria, preserves nutrients and produces shelf stable-products. 

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Through TLA, the team connected with business mentors, secured an asset development grant to build a full-scale prototype, and ultimately licensed the technology into the new startup. 

“TLA has been phenomenal,” said Davidowitz. “They helped us refine the vision, connect with partners, and think bigger. What started as a research prototype is now becoming a commercial solution.”

“Drying foods is as old as time,” explained Pedro Coelho. “What makes this different is that it works at scale, with zero carbon footprint, powered entirely by the sun. It is a simple but powerful way to turn something that would have been wasted into something valuable again.” 

The team is currently in its customer discovery phase, speaking with produce distributors, farmers, and organizations in Arizona and around the world. One focus is Nogales, Arizona, a port of entry where more than 300 million pounds of produce are discarded each year. Locating close to this hub gives Kuairu a unique opportunity to test, refine, and scale their business. 

“This is exactly the right place and right time,” Pedro Coelho emphasized. “Being close to Nogales shortens the feedback loop with customers and lets us see the scale of the problem firsthand. Once people see this in action, the question will be, ‘Why didn’t we do this 50 years ago?’”

Looking ahead, the company plans to deliver its first commercial system to a customer within the next two years, a milestone the founders believe will unlock larger-scale adoption. 

“Our first goal is simple,” said Renata Coelho. “Find the right partner, prove the value, and build from there.”

For Professor Goggy Davidowitz, the project carries personal meaning. “As a scientist, I have spent years studying insects and physiology,” he said. “But I wanted to do something that matters for society. This project is that chance.”

Kuairu is one of more than 150 startups launched through Tech Launch Arizona, part of the university’s mission is to bring research from the lab into the world where it can create lasting impact.