Grubhub is piloting the use of delivery robots, manufactured by self-driving startup Yandex, at Ohio State University this academic year. The convergence of autonomous vehicle technology and robotics is bringing a future that we only saw in movies to us today, and rapidly. However, the accuracy of autonomous technology aspect has always been the stumbling block that has prevented widescale deployment in the case of delivery. This LA startup has found the answer. Coco is a last-mile delivery service that uses remote human-piloted robots to power deliveries. The technology is versatile enough to be used by restaurants, groceries, convenience stores, and pharmacies; basically, all the essentials that you have become accustomed to ordering on-demand. These industries have been forced to adopt technology in a rapid fashion to address the pandemic and Coco makes local delivery faster, smarter, and more cost-efficient. In fact, Coco estimates that it is able to save up to 30% on delivery times while reducing the environmental footprint. The company, founded in 2019, already has 50+ customers using the technology and has scaled the team to 120. LA TechWatch caught up with CEO and Cofounder Zach Rash to learn more about the state and future of the delivery market, the inspiration for the business, the company’s strategic plans, latest round of funding from investors that include Sam Altman, Silicon Valley Bank, and Founders Fund.
Hospitality
Popl Brings Contactless Sharing of Any Type of Information to the Masses with its NFC Devices
The pandemic has propelled the adoption of NFC-powered contactless technologies for retailers and restaurants with everyone focusing on public safety. With the public now familiar with these technologies, new use cases will emerge post-COVID. Popl brings the benefits of NFC technologies to the general public. The product lineup of stickers keychains, and bands all enable the seamless sharing of information. The company focuses on making it easier for people to exchange contact information wirelessly, reducing the need for business cards in a contactless world. The software allows you to include social media profiles, payment info, links, etc., making the use-cases versatile.. LA TechWatch caught up with CEO and Cofounder Jason Alvarez-Cohen and COO and Cofounder Nick Eischens to learn more about the company’s offering, traction, and future plans.
AvantStay Raises $20M to Create the Ultimate Travel Experience for Groups
AvantStay is a technology and experience-first hospitality brand that is redefining the way in which people travel by offering short-term rentals tailored for groups.
Ordermark Raises Another $18M to Make Online Delivery Orders from Multiple Apps Seamless for Restaurants
Smartphone, delivery apps have drastically impacted the restaurant industry; according to a survey of 1,500 consumers, 44% of people ages 18-34 are ordering delivery. If restaurants want to maximize profits from delivery, they have to be accessible on every delivery app, which often translates to chaos in the kitchen. Ordermark is the online ordering management […]
Apply Hospitality-Driven Thinking to Your New Venture
I just finished a new book by Stephen J. Cloobeck, “Checking In: Hospitality-Driven Thinking, Business, and You”. As a self-made entrepreneur and former chairman of Diamond Resorts International, he asserts that the five biggest companies by market value today, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple, aren’t really tech, but hospitality companies. Tech may be the […]
The New Restaurant Experience: Robot Servers, Cooks And Hostesses
Rising labor costs and rents worldwide are driving retail establishments toward a mechanical future, potentially leaving 66 million human workers in jeopardy.
Ordermark Raises $9.5M to Streamline Online Ordering for Restaurants
Have you ever been waiting for your order at a restaurant and all the sudden mayhem erupts behind the counter as takeout orders pour in from apps like Grubhub and Seamless? It’s a chaotic sight, to say the least. LA startup Ordermark tackles this challenge for restaurant owners by directing all incoming orders onto a […]