#StartupsEverywhere: Amrita Bhasin, Co-Founder, Sotira
This profile is part of #StartupsEverywhere, an ongoing series highlighting startup leaders in ecosystems across the country. This interview has been edited for length, content, and clarity.
Reducing waste and increasing profits
Reverse logistics is managing the redistribution of returned or surplus unsold goods. Amrita Bhasin is working to make reverse logistics a mainstream corporate concept. Through her startup, Sotira, Amrita aims to reduce waste and increase producers’ bottom lines. We sat down with Amrita to discuss her company, her experience raising capital, and working in an industry transitioning directly from pen and paper to AI.
What is the work you all are doing at Sotira?
I grew up in the Bay Area and founded my company, Sotira, there as well. We offload and we monetize overstock. Our software handles logistics, pickup, and handles escrow payments. We also handle compliance, which is a big portion of what we do. Offline, it’s very time consuming, it’s a lot of spreadsheets and number crunching. That compliance work is one of the main barriers to selling overstock. With Sotira, that work becomes automated, opening the door to more sale opportunities for customers with overstock. For example, a retailer approaches Sotira with unsold inventory or short dated SKUs. Sotira automatically matches this inventory with relevant buyers who purchase, pickup and sign paperwork directly in the Sotira app. The retailer has now unlocked working capital, cleared storage space and reduced their overhead costs by converting a liability to cash. Our work was recently recognized at both Shoptalk (the biggest retail conference in the U.S.) and the 2025 Reverse Logistics Association Conference when Sotira placed first in their startup pitch competitions.
The overstock market is currently valued at $800 billion. A quarter of all inventory in America goes unsold. Most of that unsold inventory ends up disposed of in a landfill. Premium brands will slash and destroy their inventory; they've been doing this for a while to protect their brand image.
States and counties are beginning to pass laws to reduce overstock waste, like California’s SB 1383. We've been supported by the state of California Dream Fund and have worked closely with the non-governmental organization, Stop Waste, to help companies reduce their product waste and increase their profits.
How are customers reacting to using AI in this space?
Our customers care most about making money and reducing their costs. We're a small team of product and tech people that built this platform. We pitch Sotira to these companies as a great new way to cut down costs and access a new revenue stream.
When we first started, many of our customers had never even heard of ChatGPT—but they didn’t need to fully understand AI to use our product in a meaningful way. Those customers see our prompts come up and interact with our software like they would any other chatbot. All the complex work is behind the scenes and on us, not them.
What has been your experience raising funds for Sotira? Did you encounter any roadblocks?
This industry is very much based on relationships. Getting your product off the ground takes more than a good idea—you need strong relationships and credibility to back it up. You can have an excellent product, but if you don't have the right relationships with investors or industry partners, you’re missing half of the equation. We've reached the point where we have a good balance of the two and can look towards the future.
We’ve been very successful in fundraising. I’m very grateful to our team of investors. Many are from the supply chain and logistics or retail industries and they understand what we’re building. I have, however, seen in the larger investment community that money does not typically flow equitably along gendered divisions. It’s a big problem, and I don’t see enough people advocating for solutions.
Are there any local, state, or federal startup issues that you think should receive more attention from policymakers?
We need better, more comprehensive policies when it comes to waste. When I was living in Maine, my apartment didn’t have a recycling or composting program. To sustainably dispose of my food waste and recyclables, I had to pay monthly for a $16 private subscription.
Meanwhile, California is ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainability and reducing landfill use, with requirements for recycling, rescuing, and repairing things like textiles and organic waste. I’ve seen the process by which many companies dispose of their overstock, can require hazmat suits and expensive technology. There’s so much waste in America, and there doesn’t have to be. Federal policymakers need to create more incentives for companies to sell their overstock rather than destroy it.
What are your goals for Sotira moving forward?
We are working to get the word out to brands that have never monetized overstock and dumped it. We are showing them that there are better solutions like our software and others that help them make money instead of losing money. We're working with a lot of new brands and companies, rapidly expanding who we work with. Our priority is to develop the work we do across more complex categories like apparel and then grow internationally. There's a huge demand for what we're building in other countries as well. We’re working to decrease global waste and keep sustainability as our core company value.
All of the information in this profile was accurate at the date and time of publication.
Engine works to ensure that policymakers look for insight from the startup ecosystem when they are considering programs and legislation that affect entrepreneurs. Together, our voice is louder and more effective. Many of our lawmakers do not have first-hand experience with the country's thriving startup ecosystem, so it’s our job to amplify that perspective. To nominate a person, company, or organization to be featured in our #StartupsEverywhere series, email advocacy@engine.is.
