The Rise of Food and Grocery Delivery

The year 2020 saw a significant surge in food delivery services, largely due to the widespread lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The long-term effects of this shift on both grocery and restaurant delivery are still unfolding. However, it appears a pivotal moment has been reached for these industries.

This period may also mark the breakthrough for delivery robotics. As businesses seek solutions beyond relying solely on human couriers, planning for future health crises and other disruptions is becoming increasingly important.

Starship Technologies: Pioneering Robotic Delivery

Starship Technologies has been actively preparing for this evolution since 2014. Having secured approximately $100 million in funding, the company has been rigorously testing its delivery robots across various real-world environments.

In January, an additional $17 million in funding was secured to fuel continued expansion. This growth includes a five-fold increase in the size of their robot fleet since the pandemic’s onset.

Ahti Heinla, the co-founder and CEO/CTO of Starship Technologies, will be a featured speaker at TC Sessions: Mobility 2021. He will discuss the company’s contributions to the advancement of last-mile robotic delivery.

Challenges and Future Expansion

The startup’s journey has been extensive, and further progress is needed to navigate complexities ranging from technological hurdles to regulatory requirements. We will explore these challenges and assess whether the ongoing pandemic will provide the necessary impetus for these technologies to gain wider acceptance.

By late summer 2021, Starship Technologies intends to extend its operations to 100 universities. This represents a substantial increase from the 15 campuses served at the start of the year.

The company is experiencing growth across key metrics for startups, including the number of delivery locations, completed deliveries, fleet size, and employee count, which currently stands at around 400.

Join the Discussion at TC Sessions: Mobility

We look forward to hearing from Ahti and other leaders in the mobility sector at TC Sessions: Mobility on June 9. Secure your Early Bird pass before May 6 to benefit from a 35% discount on tickets and participate in this exciting event!