StartupFon is the first and leading equity-based online investment platform based in Turkey and has been founded to capitalize technology-based ventures with qualified angel investors and its own venture capital fund, namely the AngelFund. Startupfon gives their members the opportunity to invest in seed / early-stage technology startups either through its venture capital AngelFund or co-invest with it independently.  As a tool under Startupfon, AngelFund is a micro VC of around USD10 mn. Investors can make investments either on a deal by deal basis or they can allocate some of their budgets to AngelFund to let Startupfon invest on behalf of themselves.  Startupfon has been founded by Istanbul Startup Angels (“ISA”) as its online investment platform in 2016.  ISA is a leading angel investor platform accredited in 2014 discovering ambitious startups in their early-stage while mentoring them in the process. ISA also organizes angel investor academies for high net worth individuals and accelerator programs for corporates.  ISA performs with 4.3x TVPI on a total of TL 10 mn investments in 27 ventures as of March 2019.

StartupFon

ITK Ventures is a family-owned investment company focusing on education, FMCG, tourism sectors and is funded by Tatış Holding.

ITK Ventures

Kalyon Venture Capital invests in the construction, real estate, renewable energy, and climate technologies industries.

Kalyon Venture Capital

StartersHub is an early stage venture capital fund

StartersHub

Ford Otosan, Europe's commercial vehicle manufacturing leader, established the corporate venture capital company 'Driventure' to implement new generation technologies that will play a key role in the transformation of the automotive industry, with the Turkish entrepreneurship ecosystem. Driventure, Ford Otosan's venture capital firm, will develop new ideas and technologies with initiatives focusing on mobility (smart mobility), connectivity, autonomous technologies and electric vehicles.

Driventure

Kültepe Investment is a venture capital fund established by industrialists and business people from Kayseri. Since 2019, more than 20 startups have been invested in a total of 2 funds.  Kültepe Investment is one of the most active funds in Turkey, especially in Anatolia. It invests in local and global initiatives that aim to grow globally and develop technology.

Kültepe Investment

Japan Post Capital is an investment and management financial consulting business.

Japan Post Capital

IIstanbul Technical University is a state university founded as the Imperial School of Naval Engineering of the Ottoman Empire. ITU currently offers graduate and postgraduate education in a wide range of fields today. It has more than 30,000 full-time students across five campuses located in Istanbul. The university employs around 1,130 faculty members, and 1,300 research assistants in 13 faculties and 6 research institutes.  Times Higher Education has ranked ITU as the 165th university worldwide in 2014 and 8th university in BRICS & Emerging Economies in 2015. ITU has developed a range of entrepreneurship and innovation platforms for commercializing technology-based knowledge and for facilitating entrepreneurial ecosystem: ITU TEKNOKENT, established in 2002, is one of the largest technology parks of Turkey with its 100,000 square meters area, over 2,000 completed R&D projects, 160 companies with more than 5200 employees.  ITU Teknokent generates $137M  total income and $110M R&D exports in 2014. ITU CEKIRDEK is the most comprehensive and unique pre-incubator, incubator, and accelerator of Turkey. With its own branded entrepreneurship competition, it attracts thousands of applications and awards seed capital, for example at TRY100,000, TRY50,000 and 2 x TRY25,000 to leading startups in 2014. ITU GINOVA Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is established in 2012 by a group of faculty members from ITU Management Engineering Department. It aims to diffuse entrepreneurship culture among Istanbul Technical University (ITU) students and faculty; inspire and encourage ITU students and faculty towards creative thinking and innovation; to provide them with entrepreneurial skills and competencies; as well as to conduct research on innovation and entrepreneurship to expand knowledge in these areas, with passion for innovation, courage, creativity, and learning by doing.

Istanbul Technical University

A growth equity and development venture stage investor.

Impetus Capital

Turkey Development Fund aims to develop the enterprise ecosystem by investing in new generation startups.

Turkey Development Fund

Delivers AI

Delivers.ai designs ways to autonomously deliver food, groceries, and parcels from shops to doorsteps. The company works with online order platforms and dark kitchens and stores to empower local delivery to be faster, smarter, risk-free, and cost-efficient. Delivers AI develops a unique set of camera-based autonomous technologies that are scalable and broadly deployable. The company's technology significantly reduces the expenses of production and operations.

Delivers AI, based in Turkey, develops and operates an autonomous last-mile delivery droid that can travel on sidewalks to make food and grocery deliveries. The bots are equipped with camera and sensor fusion technologies using low-cost sensors for autonomous navigation.

Automation and robotics are finally creating solutions for the complexities of doorstep deliveries.

Last-mile Delivery Automation

This ‘Blue Collar Analytics Company’ Delivers AI and ML Solutions For ‘People Who Work Hard’

Carrefour

Delivers AI launched a droid-based grocery delivery service in the coastal Belgian city of Knokke-Heist in partnership with Carrefour. Delivers AI has deployed a fleet of three delivery droids from Carrefour’s location in Lichttorenplein, covering a 400-meter radius. Carrefour customers can place orders through the Deliveroo app, selecting from around 500 products. Deliveries are offered free of charge to consumers.

Refers to autonomous vehicles that use pedestrian walkways and travel a little faster than average walking speed (generally 3-6 miles an hour). These vehicles can usually carry up to around 20 lb. and use a camera, radar, and sensors to move autonomously. 

Delivers AI partnered with Carrefour to launch droid-based grocery deliveries in Belgium. Initially, the companies will conduct tests at the Corporate Village in Zaventem and in a Carrefour hyper-center. Depending on the success of the tests, Carrefour plans to launch the service in cities such as Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, and Liège to deliver groceries to customers’ homes.

Delivers AI, based in Turkey, develops and operates an autonomous last-mile delivery droid that can travel on sidewalks to make food and grocery deliveries. The bots are equipped with camera and sensor fusion technologies using low-cost sensors for autonomous navigation.As of May 2022, the company had completed 4,000 autonomous deliveries. Its operations span across Istanbul (Turkey), Madrid (Spain), Belgium, and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/81">Dubai.</a> The company has offices in the UK, Turkey, and UAE.Key customers and partnershipsDelivers AI has deployed its droids in partnership with companies and other parties such as local ecommerce company Hepsiburada (to roll out droids at local universities), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7643">Madrid City Council and Madrid Futuro,</a> and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20534">Carrefour Belgium.</a>Funding and financialsIn January 2022, Delivers AI raised EUR 750,000 (USD 850,000) in a seed funding round to expand operations in the UK.

Delivers AI, based in Turkey, develops and operates an autonomous last-mile delivery droid that can travel on sidewalks to make food and grocery deliveries. The bots are equipped with camera and sensor fusion technologies using low-cost sensors for autonomous navigation.As of August 2024, the company had completed 100,000+ autonomous deliveries. Its operations span across Istanbul (Turkey), Madrid (Spain), Belgium, and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/81">Dubai.</a> The company has offices in the UK, Turkey, and UAE.Key customers and partnershipsDelivers AI has deployed its droids in partnership with companies and other parties such as local ecommerce company Hepsiburada (to roll out droids at local universities), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7643">Madrid City Council and Madrid Futuro,</a> and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20534">Carrefour Belgium,</a> SPAR, Glovo, Delivery Hero, and EVRI.

Zing Drone Solutions offers an end-to-end drone delivery platform, which includes autonomous flight software and plug-and-play hardware. Drone pilots can team up with Zing to make deliveries with their own drones, while Zing undertakes the licensing and insuring of pilots. The company also sells two models of FAA-approved broadcast modules to pilots.As of March 2024, the company had operations in a test site in Sarasota, Florida, to demonstrate drone-based deliveries. It was mainly generating revenue through the sale of broadcast modules to pilots.Key customers and partnershipsZing Drone Solutions has product partnerships with companies including 1) software company Airspace Link to integrate airspace awareness technology (December 2021); 2) air traffic navigation service provider Skyway Technologies to install route planning and air navigation solutions for operations in Florida and beyond (January 2022; conducted first flights in Montverde, Florida <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10175">in May 2022);</a> and 3) Arrive (formerly DroneDek; June 2020) and Valqari (August 2021) to obtain hardware and infrastructure.Funding and financialsZing Drone Solutions generated revenue of USD 40,847 and incurred a loss of USD 160,287 in 2023.

Zing Drone Solutions

DroneUp is a drone startup offering&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18602">drone-based last-mile delivery services</a> primarily pitched toward retail, food, and medical deliveries. The company's&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/34605">technology package</a> includes a proprietary software solution, an innovative winch system, and custom battery packs. The company has operations in the US (including Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Arizona, Virginia, Utah, and North Carolina) and potentially&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11637">Europe.</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/36763">In December 2024,</a> it obtained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Part 135 Certification to conduct commercial beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone deliveries.DroneUp’s complementary acquisitions in the space include AeroVista Innovations to provide full-service drone training to organizations (April 2020); Web Teks, a UAS software developer that had been a contractor for DroneUp&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/103">(March 2021)</a>; and AirMap, an airspace management software provider for drones&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7177">(December 2021).</a>&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsDroneUp has conducted drone-based deliveries in partnership with organizations including <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10658">Walmart,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/161">NUAIR (Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance) and SUNY Upstate Medical University,</a> the City of Ontario and the real estate company <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/4266">Brookfield Properties,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17938">Riverside Health System,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19264">Carilion Clinic,</a> and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23954">Chick-fil-A</a>.DroneUp also has product partnerships with companies including1) <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/865380">A2Z Drone Delivery</a> to integrate the latter’s tethered freefall drone delivery technology into DroneUp’s drones <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/105">(March 2021)</a>2) South Korean company Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI) to test drones using hydrogen fuel cell technology <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17671">(April 2023)</a>3) Irsi Automation to integrate airspace awareness tech into its drones <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18258">(May 2023)</a>4) Wonder Robotics to integrate precision technology for drone-based deliveries <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18344">(May 2023)</a>5) Blueflite, a drone technology company, to leverage Blueflite’s drones for DroneUp's autonomous ecosystem <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28155">(April 2024)</a>6) Elsight to obtain drone connectivity solutions <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/33137">(September 2024)</a>

DroneUp

Agility Robotics develops a human-sized, bi-pedal robot called “Digit” designed for logistics applications primarily for warehouse automation, with plans to introduce the unit for last-mile delivery applications. It is the only company in the market with a product designed to look and move like a human, using two upper limbs to carry an item while moving around on two legs. The robot uses a head-mounted LiDAR system for its primary navigation and is able to navigate semi-autonomously, carrying weight up to 35 lbs. The robots can charge autonomously by connecting themselves to docking stations when needed and can be deployed without additional retrofitting.The company unveiled the second generation of Digit <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17182">in March 2023,</a> with plans to begin shipping to early customers in 2024 and a wider rollout in 2025 (price not disclosed). The company has a <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21927">manufacturing facility in Oregon</a> with the capacity to produce more than 10,000 robots per year.&nbsp;The company also offers <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27444">“Agility Arc,"</a> which is a cloud automation platform for deploying and managing Digit fleets. This is offered on a SaaS basis.Funding and financials<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9899">In April 2022,</a> Agility Robotics raised USD 150 million in a Series B funding round led by DCVC and Playground Global to fast-track R&amp;D, ramp up production and delivery of its next-generation robot, and expand the team. In April 2022, Agility Robotics also received an undisclosed amount of funds from the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund.&nbsp;Key competitors: None comparable (Agility Robotics is the only startup developing a humanoid robot for parcel delivery)

Agility Robotics

Manna Drone Delivery (Manna) provides drone delivery-as-a-service to restaurant chains, cloud kitchens, and online food delivery platforms. Using custom-developed aerospace-grade drones, it delivers directly from restaurants and centralized kitchens to consumer's homes. Its drones can fly at a speed of 60 mph, delivering within a range of 10 miles. The drones are also equipped with safety systems including a parachute that will automatically deploy and bring the aircraft to the ground in case of an emergency.In May 2021, Manna received the Irish Aviation Authority’s (IAA) <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/62">“Light UAS Operator Certificate” (LUC),</a> available under EU drone regulations and recognized across the EU. With the certification, Manna can self-authorize operations without the need for further approvals. The company also applied for a drone-based delivery services license in the UK <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22174">in September 2023.</a>The services are offered via Manna’s mobile application, where restaurants can partner and list themselves for drone-based deliveries to their customers. As of March 2024, the company had completed 150,000+ deliveries to customers in Ireland (including Moneygall, Co Offaly, Oranmore, Co Galway, and in Blanchardstown and Balbriggan, Co Dublin) and the US <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23388">(Dallas, Texas).</a>Key customers and partnershipsIts notable partners include restaurant operators and retailers such as Flipdish, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/91">Just Eat,</a> Tesco, Camile Thai’s, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/106">Samsung Electronics,</a> Coca-Cola, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23388">Farmhouse Coffee &amp; Treasures, The Touring Chocolatie,</a> and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27176">Boojum.</a>Funding and financials<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17122">In March 2023,</a> Manna received an undisclosed amount of funding from Coca-Cola HBC and entered into a strategic partnership with the same to expand its reach to the US market.&nbsp;

Manna Drone Delivery

TwinswHeel is an autonomous delivery droids manufacturer based in France. The company offers six droids under two ranges; 1) “ciTHy” series pitched toward logistics applications for private sites and cities and 2) “facTHory” series pitched toward factories and warehouses. The robots can be configured to either pair up and collaborate with a person and follow them while carrying the loads or to move autonomously in a mapped area. The robots are equipped with LiDAR, six 2D cameras, 3D camera, and sensors for navigation. The ciTHy series comprises the following three sizes that can be used for last-mile delivery applications:1. ciTHy S: Can carry loads of up to 110 lbs, pitched toward personal mobility.2. ciTHy M: Can carry loads of up to 330 lbs; pitched toward technicians and craftsmen to help carry loads.3. ciTHy L: Can carry loads of up to 660 lbs; pitched toward stores in city centers.Key customers and partnershipIn May 2019, the company conducted a trial run in partnership with the French supermarket chain Casino’s Franprix, where shoppers can pair up with the robot, making it follow them while shopping, and even carry items to the customer’s home.The company also manufactures droids on behalf of the autonomous droid operator LMAD (2021).

TwinswHeel

Refers to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that deliver packages. Drones are already in commercial use in many other industries (such as photography, construction, and agriculture). The use of drones for goods delivery has emerged with the gradual advancement of battery and connectivity technologies.

This is a sub-branch of self-driving cars and represents autonomous vehicles that can move along public roads. The technology used is similar to self-driving cars. ADVs have a higher load capacity and travel at a faster speed than vehicles like droids.

Some companies use AI/ML tech for autonomous navigation.  (e.g., Goggo Network, Drone Express, Wayve)"

Autonomous delivery solutions fall under Industry 4.0

The solutions are electric and eco-friendly

All three types of delivery automation facilitate efficient and environmentally friendly solutions

<div>
 Delivers AI, a delivery droid developer based in Turkey, has recently received funding from various sources including Japan Post Capital, Turkey Development Fund, Impetus Capital, and Istanbul Technical University. This funding has raised the company's value to USD 36 million.
 This financial boost will be used to extend Delivers AI's capabilities, with goals including expansion of its fleet and fostering the growth of independent delivery services in Japan. The company also has intentions to present its autonomous mobility platform to automotive vehicle manufacturers.
</div>

Delivers AI

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