US self-driving delivery company Serve Robotics has secured $13 million seed funding from strategic investors including Uber, 7-Eleven and DX Ventures. The capital, says Serve, will “accelerate its path to commercial scale, driving its fleet expansion, geographic growth, and continued product development”.
Founded in 2017 as the robotics spin out from Uber’s delivery app Postmates, Serve is now an independent company and says it is “on a mission to make delivery more affordable, sustainable and accessible for everyone”.
The company last month announced its on-demand robotic delivery service will be available to Uber Eats customers in Los Angeles early next year.
Dr Ali Kashani, Co-founder and CEO of Serve Robotics, says, “Serve Robotics is pleased to have the backing of strong strategic partners able to support our intention to provide sustainable, self-driving delivery at scale. This initial round of financial and strategic support will allow us to continue advancing our technology, growing our team, and expanding our partnership platform.”
Sarfraz Maredia, Vice President and Head of Uber Eats in North America, adds, “Uber and Serve share a commitment to convenience and reliability. As a Serve investor, we’re excited to help shape self-driving delivery technology that can meet changing consumer and merchant needs.”
