Starship Technologies raises US$50M to quadruple its delivery robot fleet by 2027

USA – Robotics firm Starship Technologies has raised US$50 million in new funding to accelerate its expansion in the U.S. delivery market and more than quadruple its delivery robot fleet by 2027, the company announced Wednesday.

The funding was supported by Plural, Karma.vc, Latitude, Coefficient Capital, SmartCap (backed by the European Union’s NextGenerationEU program), and Skaala.

Founded by Skype co-founders Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis, Starship operates approximately 2,700 robots across 30 European cities and more than 60 U.S. college campuses. It plans to scale its fleet to 12,000 robots by 2027, surpassing competitors’ scale.

Having completed over 9 million deliveries, Starship’s robots use extensive data to enhance routing, safety, and efficiency. Their autonomous delivery service frequently completes last-mile deliveries within 30 minutes or less.

These robots are fully electric and environmentally friendly, substituting short car trips with low-energy transport that reduces carbon emissions.

In the U.S., Starship plays a crucial role in food delivery and hospitality, partnering with leading platforms such as Grubhub and DoorDash subsidiaries.

Its robots provide quick, contactless delivery from popular eateries like Starbucks and Chick-fil-A on university campuses and urban areas.

Starship’s delivery robots can carry up to 20 pounds, roughly three shopping bags of goods, making them ideal for small grocery orders, takeout meals, and last-mile deliveries. Users order through popular apps and can track their robot in real time via interactive maps.

The robotic delivery sector is flourishing in 2025 amidst increasing partnerships between delivery aggregators and robot makers.

This investment affirms that autonomous robots are becoming a vital part of last-mile logistics, offering scalable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly solutions that improve customer convenience and reduce urban congestion.

CEO Ahti Heinla emphasized, “We own European urban markets and U.S. campuses. Millions of Americans will soon experience reliable, sub-30-minute deliveries by Starship robots as the new standard.”

Starship is further collaborating with universities and retailers to deploy reusable packaging programs, enhancing sustainability in food delivery.

The company continues innovating toward smarter, greener urban logistics to transform the future of food delivery and hospitality operations.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.