Jason Calaiaro’s Post

"Aniai, a startup that has built a burger-grilling robot, Alpha Grill, said today it has raised $12 million, bringing its total raise to $15 million. The money will go toward launching its first manufacturing facility, Factory One, in South Korea. The firm will also be deploying a cloud-based AI software platform for the robot called Alpha Cloud. Robot adoption in the restaurant business is becoming popular as it can help restaurants address their high pain points like labor shortages, and rising wage issues. Robotics enables restaurants to save 30% to 70% of labor costs, and restaurants could replace more than 80% of restaurant positions with robots, according to a research report. 'Burger chains hire six to eight kitchen staff per shift to grill burgers,' Aniai CEO Gunpil Hwang said. 'Alpha Grill enables restaurants to engage only one staff member to grill burgers.' The New York-headquartered startup says it will launch Factory One this year to meet the growing market demand for Alpha Grill, with around 500 pre-orders for delivery starting in the first quarter of 2024. Its manufacturing facility will be able to produce more than 1,000 robots annually. The company’s double-sided Alpha Grill, launched in 2022, can cook 200 patties per hour, or eight patties simultaneously (after human staff places them on a grill)." #startups #equipmentleasing #equipmentfinance #financialservices #corporatefinance #finance #foodandbeverage https://lnkd.in/gWK2EA5e

🍽️✨ Revolutionizing Dining: Kaikaku's Robotic Mastery 🤖💡 Thrilled to share that Kaikaku has officially launched a robot-powered restaurant, marking a significant leap in the fusion of AI, robotics, and gastronomy! With a successful $1.8 million fundraising round, Kaikaku is setting the stage for a culinary revolution. Their innovative AI robotics technology is not just a step towards the future of dining but a giant leap for the restaurant industry. Imagine a dining experience where precision, efficiency, and innovation come together to craft perfect meals every time. 🍽️✨ This isn't just about automation; it's about enhancing the culinary arts with technology. Kaikaku's pitch deck, which played a pivotal role in their fundraising success, promises a unique blend of tech and taste that's bound to transform our dining expectations. For a closer look at the technology and vision behind this avant-garde venture, check out their story here: https://lnkd.in/emNvJqAr 🤔 But, what does this mean for chefs, waiters, and traditional restaurant roles? Here's a quick rundown: Augmentation Over Replacement: Enhancing staff capabilities, not replacing them. 💠 New Opportunities: Emerging tech roles blending culinary arts with tech expertise. 💠 The Human Touch: Irreplaceable personal interactions and culinary creativity. 💠 Educational Evolution: Adapting education to include technological skills. 💠 Market Diversity: A coexistence of tech-driven and traditional dining experiences. The future of dining is here, promising innovation and opportunity. 🎉 #Innovation #Robotics #FoodTech #AI #StartupSuccess

New Post: Chef Robotics eyes commercial kitchens with $14.75M raise - In the past several years, the kitchen has increasingly become a focal point for the world of automation. Miso, for instance, has made a name for itself with Flippy, a hamburger cooking arm that has found its way into chain restaurants like White Castle. Others, including Zume Robotics, have been less successful – the pizza robot firm shut its doors last year after attempting a major pivot into Earth-conscious food packaging. Chef Robotics has been kicking since 2019. The founding was unquestionably fortuitous timing, just ahead of Covid-related closures and resulting labor shortages that continue to this day in industries like fast food. This week, the San Francisco-based firm announced that it has closed a $14.75 million combo equity/debt round. The new cash infusion follows a January 2021 raise of $7.7 million, bringing the total funding up to $22.5 million. That figure includes $18.2 million in equity and $4.25 million in debt. MaC Venture Capital, MFV Partners, Interwoven Ventures and Alumni Ventures joined existing backers, Construct Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Promus Ventures and Red and Blue Ventures. Much of the money will go toward deploying Chef’s go-to-market strategy, which is based around a RaaS plan. Robotics as a Service is proving to be an extremely popular model in the world of industrial automation, as the upfront cost of a big robot is far too steep for many companies to foot. The company will also be hiring engineers and technicians, growing a headcount that currently numbers around 30 Rajat Bhageria tells TechCrunch that Chef distinguishes itself from the likes of Miso by focusing on food assembly, rather than cooking specifically. The company is also touting ChefOS, the underlying software driving its robot arm’s decisions. “ood is very highly dimensional: depending on how you prep the ingredients (e.g., julienned onions vs chopped), cook the ingredients (e.g., sauteed, baked, broiled), store the ingredients (e.g., cooked, room temp, frozen), the material properties radically differ,” the company notes. “And these properties change daily based on who is prepping and cooking. To deal with this, Chef uses various sensors – like cameras – to collect training data and then trains models that help Chef learn how to manipulate a large corpus of ingredients.” Part of the reason the company places such emphasis on the software/AI side of things is that most of Chef’s hardware components are off-the-shelf. There is, after all, a philosophy among many roboticist that if existing solutions do the job, there’s no reason to reinvent that specific wheel. Chef isn’t revealing specific sales figures, only saying that it has “robots at food companies in five cities around the US and Canada” including “Fortune 500 food companies.” Bhageria also tells TechCrunch that it has quadrupled “recurring revenue from 2022 to 2023,” though

Chef Robotics Secures $14.75M to Revolutionize Food Service, Meal Assembly Machines Are Coming San Francisco-based Chef Robotics has raised $14.75 million in a recent funding round, following a $7.7 million raise in 2021, bringing its total funding to $22.5 million. The company, founded in 2019, distinguishes itself by focusing on food assembly rather than cooking, utilizing ChefOS software to drive its robot arm's decisions. Chef Robotics employs a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model, with funds intended for the deployment of its go-to-market strategy, hiring engineers and technicians, and further development of its technology. The company places significant emphasis on its software and AI capabilities, leveraging sensors and cameras to collect training data and adapt to the varied dimensions of food preparation. They've already deployed in five U.S. and Canadian cities, including some Fortune 500 companies. They also claim a quadruple increase in recurring revenue from 2022 to 2023. The funding round includes participation from MaC Venture Capital, MFV Partners, Interwoven Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Construct Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Promus Ventures, and Red & Blue Ventures. https://lnkd.in/gu2nWRJQ

🚀 **Are You Ready to Revolutionize the Burger Experience? 🍔🤖** Imagine stepping into a sleek, futuristic restaurant where gourmet burgers are crafted by cutting-edge robots right before your eyes. No more waiting in long lines! Our groundbreaking startup idea combines robotics and gourmet cuisine to create a fully automated burger experience that prioritizes quality and speed. With a simple touchscreen interface, customers can customize their meals while watching skilled robots assemble and cook their delicious burgers to perfection. Not only does this enhance the dining experience, but it also streamlines operations, reduces overhead costs, and meets the growing demand for fast-casual dining. Now is the **perfect time** to innovate in the bustling world of food service! If you’re passionate about food, technology, and creating memorable customer experiences, join us in bringing this robot-operated gourmet burger concept to life! Together, we can reshape the future of dining. 🌟 #StartupInnovation #GourmetBurgers #Robotics #FoodTech #JoinUs

Aniai, a startup that has constructed a burger-grilling robotic, Alpha Grill, stated right now it has raised $12 million, bringing its complete elevate to $15 million. The cash will go towards launching its first manufacturing facility, Manufacturing unit One, in South Korea. The agency will even be deploying a cloud-based AI software program platform for the robotic referred to as Alpha Cloud. Robotic adoption within the restaurant enterprise is turning into common because it can help restaurants address their high pain points like labor shortages, and rising wage issues. Robotics allows eating places to save lots of 30% to 70% of labor prices, and eating places might substitute greater than 80% of restaurant positions with robots, in keeping with a research report.  “Burger chains rent six to eight kitchen workers per shift to grill burgers,” Aniai CEO Gunpil Hwang stated. “Alpha Grill allows eating places to have interaction just one workers member to grill burgers.” The New York-headquartered startup says it’ll launch Manufacturing unit One this yr to satisfy the rising market demand for Alpha Grill, with round 500 pre-orders for supply beginning within the first quarter of 2024. Its manufacturing facility will be capable to produce greater than 1,000 robots yearly. The corporate’s double-sided Alpha Grill, launched in 2022, can cook dinner 200 patties per hour, or eight patties concurrently (after human workers locations them on a grill).   The cloud-based AI software program and real-time imaginative and prescient sensor will allow Alpha Grill to understand the setting, establish the colour of patties on a grill and monitor the patties’ temperature, form and high quality. If the consumer’s patty doesn’t meet its cooking recipes, specs and necessities, Alpha Grill promptly notifies the cooking workers to make sure high quality management.  The startup is at present creating its second product, Alpha Kitchen, Hwang instructed TechCrunch. With an anticipated 2025 launch, Alpha Kitchen will be capable to automate the whole burger-making course of, from cooking patties and toasting buns to shelling out greens and different components. Aniai at present serves seven prospects, together with fast-food burger chains in South Korea, CJ Freshway, BAS Burger and DownTowner. It has additionally been testing Alpha Grill with burger chains within the U.S. since final yr. The outfit  says it’ll additionally use the most recent capital velocity up its expansions within the U.S. and South Korea. Aniai is a part of a growing kitchen automation industry. Different corporations on this area embody Miso Robotics, which is behind Flippy, a burger-flipping robotic; Botinkit, a cooking robotic maker in China; and Chef Robotics in San Francisco.  InterVest led the most recent funding together with new buyers SV Funding, UK’s Ignite Innovation and a earlier backer, Capstone Companions. Based in 2020, the startup had 30

Aniai, a startup that has constructed a burger-grilling robotic, Alpha Grill, stated as we speak it has raised $12 million, bringing its whole increase to $15 million. The cash will go towards launching its first manufacturing facility, Manufacturing unit One, in South Korea. The agency can even be deploying a cloud-based AI software program platform for the robotic known as Alpha Cloud. Robotic adoption within the restaurant enterprise is changing into well-liked because it can help restaurants address their high pain points like labor shortages, and rising wage issues. Robotics permits eating places to save lots of 30% to 70% of labor prices, and eating places might change greater than 80% of restaurant positions with robots, in response to a research report.  “Burger chains rent six to eight kitchen employees per shift to grill burgers,” Aniai CEO Gunpil Hwang stated. “Alpha Grill permits eating places to interact just one employees member to grill burgers.” The New York-headquartered startup says it would launch Manufacturing unit One this yr to satisfy the rising market demand for Alpha Grill, with round 500 pre-orders for supply beginning within the first quarter of 2024. Its manufacturing facility will have the ability to produce greater than 1,000 robots yearly. The corporate’s double-sided Alpha Grill, launched in 2022, can prepare dinner 200 patties per hour, or eight patties concurrently (after human employees locations them on a grill).   The cloud-based AI software program and real-time imaginative and prescient sensor will allow Alpha Grill to understand the surroundings, determine the colour of patties on a grill and monitor the patties’ temperature, form and high quality. If the person’s patty doesn’t meet its cooking recipes, specs and necessities, Alpha Grill promptly notifies the cooking employees to make sure high quality management.  The startup is at the moment growing its second product, Alpha Kitchen, Hwang instructed TechCrunch. With an anticipated 2025 launch, Alpha Kitchen will have the ability to automate your entire burger-making course of, from cooking patties and toasting buns to shelling out greens and different elements. Aniai at the moment serves seven clients, together with fast-food burger chains in South Korea, CJ Freshway, BAS Burger and DownTowner. It has additionally been testing Alpha Grill with burger chains within the U.S. since final yr. The outfit  says it would additionally use the newest capital velocity up its expansions within the U.S. and South Korea. Aniai is a part of a growing kitchen automation industry. Different firms on this area embrace Miso Robotics, which is behind Flippy, a burger-flipping robotic; Botinkit, a cooking robotic maker in China; and Chef Robotics in San Francisco.  InterVest led the newest funding together with new traders SV Funding, UK’s Ignite Innovation and a earlier backer, Capstone Companions. Based in 2020, the startup had

🚀 Embracing the Future of Dining! 🍽️ Top analysts agree: restaurant robots are leading the charge in automation, but guess what? They're not here to steal jobs, they're here to enhance them! 🤖💼 Gone are the days of fearing automation in the fast-food industry. Instead, let's welcome these culinary companions as allies in efficiency and innovation! 🌟 Robots aren't just flipping burgers; they're flipping the script on how we approach service and operations. Let's toast to a future where humans and machines work hand in hand to deliver exceptional dining experiences! 🥂🤝

🌺 OrionStar Robotics #LuckiBot 🤖 has been deployed in an Italian banquet hall, enhancing service efficiency and enriching the guests' service experience. Thanks to our partner, BOB - il robot cameriere 🤝 📊 What are the advantages of #LuckiBot in banquet hall scenarios? 🔹Optimizing Service Quality: By utilizing the service data from #LuckiBot, restaurant owners can better understand customer needs and optimize their services. 🔹 Improving Efficiency: With its three-tier, extra-large tray, #LuckiBot can deliver multiple dishes of food and beverages at once, reducing the time required for manual delivery and improving service efficiency. 🔹 Reducing Labor Costs: In long or large-scale banquets, the use of #LuckiBot can reduce reliance on waitstaff, thereby reducing labor costs. 🔹 Environmental Adaptability: With its powerful navigation capabilities, #LuckiBot can flexibly move in crowded or narrow spaces, adapting to various banquet layouts. 🌟 #LuckiBot is more than a robot; it's a step towards the future of service excellence. Let's embrace the change and innovate together! 🙌 Learn more about us: en.orionstar.com #OrionStarRobotics #Innovation #Productivity #Startup #DeliveryRobot #AIRobotics #OrionStar #LuckiBot #BanquetInnovation #ServiceExcellence #TechnologyMeetsHospitality

Video here > https://lnkd.in/er2ANEeW ^I literally posted yesterday about other ways to automate restaurant ops outside of robots. The fact is, robots do exist and they have a common end goal for operators when compared to ML driven software..... That is, improve store level profitability. Restaurant Tech is in a cool place. Follow along. #restauranttech #restaurantautomation #automation #ML #ai #artificalintelligence #machinelearning #restaurants #hospitality #hospitalitytech