Yape

Yape, a unit of the Italian tech-focused investment organization e-Novia, develops an AI-powered delivery droids for indoor and outdoor delivery applications. It comes equipped with reconfigurable glove compartments to fit various delivery services including for parcels and food. Its modular software also lets the droids connect with third-party systems, such as elevators and mobile applications. It is capable of avoiding obstacles and detecting traffic lights and moving vehicles through a system of sensors, lasers, and video cameras. The droids have a load capacity of roughly 22 lbs and can travel either on sidewalks at a maximum speed of 3.7 mph in bike lanes at speeds of up to 12.4 mph, covering a range of 50 miles. Once a customer is registered with Yape’s platform, bots can automatically detect the correct address for deliveries.

Yape has commercial partnerships with food delivery, retail, and ecommerce companies and for travelers’ assistance at airports in Japan, Europe, and the US.

Key customers and partnerships

Yape has conducted delivery trials in Minami Sōma, Japan, in partnership with the Japan Post in 2019 and demonstrated tech in Spain in partnership with Just Eat in February 2020. It was also involved in a pilot delivery program (as the robot unit supplier) in Stockholm, Sweden with the online food delivery operator Foodora in March 2021, and another in Trikala, Greece in collaboration with multiple organizations in January 2023.

As of February 2024, Yape’s delivery robots were being experimented with in public outdoor environments in partnership with parties including Vodafone 5G, Comune Di Cremona, Sperimentazione Italia, and JRC.