Plug and Play is a seed and early-stage investor focused on great teams leading emerging growth companies.  Plug and Play runs 12 industry-specific accelerator programs twice a year, that acts as a platform for major corporations and high quality startups to connect and collaborate.  Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Plug and Play participates in Seed, Angel and Series A funding where they often co-invest with their strategic partners. Through years of experience and as part of their network, Plug and Play has put together a world-class network of serial entrepreneurs, strategic investors, and industry leaders who actively assist the firm with its successful and growing investment portfolio.  SEED ROUND. Plug and Play participates in seed round investing through a program called Startup Camp. Startup Camp is a 10-week program based in Silicon Valley for top-notch entrepreneurs to work intensively on building out their business model. Select startups will refine their business models and prototypes with help from a combination of structured workshops, speaker series and mentorship sessions, as well as active coaching from their investment team. At the culmination of Startup Camp, founders will have crystalized their business plans and pitched their company to the venture capital community at EXPO Demo Day.''  ANGEL ROUND Plug and Play makes angel round investments throughout the year, sourced from their monthly Plug and Play Angels (PAPA) sessions. They are partnered with local angel investors in Silicon Valley who participate in PAPA to find the most promising startups and best new technologies.  SERIES A. Series A typical Series A round is in the range of $2 million to $10 million, and is intended to provide operating capital for the company for six months to two years. This round capitalizes the company as it develops its products, performs initial marketing and branding, acquires talent, and conducts other early-stage business operations. It is in this stage that Plug and Play will co-invest with over 180 venture capital partners.  Plug and Play has helped grow market leaders such as PayPal, Danger, Google, DropBox, LendingClub, Zoosk, SoundHound, CreditSesame, Skytree, and has over 400 more early-stage startups in its portfolio.

Plug and Play Ventures

Oceans is a venture capital firm focusing on giving startups the hands-on support they need to succeed. They are a team that builds teams, a culture that shapes cultures, and a group of mentors who unlock skills and talent to build a future of technology. They help founders build the foundations that unlock the power of people. Oceans was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in New York, USA.

Oceans

MovingCapital is a venture capital firm backed by early employees of Uber and other decacorn startups. Founded in 2018, the firm is based in Santa Monica, California, United States.

Moving Capital

Broken Arrow Holding is a privately held holding company that invests across the capital stack through equity and structured investments in real estate, venture capital, and private equity. Our real estate business primarily focuses on acquiring high quality, multi-family assets in secondary markets. We target well-located properties and operate with the intent to hold these assets forever. Outside of real estate, we make investments in private businesses ranging from pre-seed to late-stage pre-IPO. We have invested across multiple industries that include fitness, media, consumer, natural resources, and technology.

Broken Arrow Holding

TA Ventures is a network-driven VC firm investing in early-stage tech startups shaping the industries of tomorrow, primarily across Europe and North America. Our typical initial check for Pre-Seed and Seed companies is $100-250k. TA Ventures also provides follow-on investments. We offer speed of execution, proactive support, and access to a broad international network. Drawing upon our network, we support our portfolio companies by proactively soliciting large, growth-minded co-investors in subsequent rounds. We utilize our industry knowledge and network to give portfolio companies and partner VCs access to highly skilled and cost-effective R&D outsourcing teams in Central and Eastern Europe.

TA Ventures

We are a New York City based investment firm focused on venture capital and private equity opportunities. Our team invests in technology enabled companies in the financial, consumer, healthcare, and software industries. Our portfolio companies have strong management teams characterized by integrity, intelligence, experience, energy, and passion.

Rosecliff Ventures

West Quad Ventures invest in startups that aspire to be leaders in their respective category, teams we believe in with an emphasis on what’s good for the world!

West Quad Ventures

City Light is a venture capital firm that invests early in impactful companies. They partner with experienced teams building category-defining solutions in the areas of education, safety and care, and the environment - where more revenue equals better lives at scale, every time. As one of the earliest and most successful impacts investing firms, City Light has a track record of identifying and scaling impact in ways that build better companies.  The firm was founded in 2004 and is based in New York, New York. Some of its key portfolio investments are 2U (Nasdaq: TWOU), ShotSpotter (Nasdaq: SSTI), Trilogy Education, and Ready Responders.

City Light Capital

SWS provides the strategic, operational, and financial support needed to help incubate their business from a pre-revenue concept into a growing, profitable enterprise. As a passive investor, they focus on partnering with leading, established venture capital firms to provide fast-track funding for co-investments. This is where their domain expertise and deep network provide a strategic advantage.

SWS Venture Capital

Stormbreaker is an early stage fund focused on capital-efficient startups. We believe in a future where venture capital is more equitable, more efficient, and more genuine. We see an opportunity within venture capital to be a true partner to our founders, not just a check that bides time until the next round. Stormbreaker is industry-agnostic and focused on startups that don’t see capital as an immediate requirement for growth, but instead as the best path forward for their business at the right time. We partner with the high-velocity, high-conviction companies that stand out from their peers because they are driven to build efficiently––companies that prioritize disciplined decision making and market traction over chasing stepped up valuations.  When we make investments, we are committed to our companies for their lifespan. We become trusted and preferred partners to our entrepreneurs, which allows us to take a hands-on approach to growth.

Stormbreaker Ventures

Tortoise

Tortoise is an automated delivery platform for the retail and logistics industries. It was founded by David Graham and Dmitry Shevelenko.  Companies like Lyft, Microsoft, and Samsung have brought David in when developing novel technologies and concepts. Meanwhile, Dmitry oversaw the new modality partnership strategy at Uber and led Uber’s first deals with JUMP, Getaround, and the public transit ticketing system Masabi. Together, the two have identified some of the biggest pain points in logistics and shared micromobility and are setting out to tackle them together.

<div>Tortoise began as an electric scooter manufacturer back in 2019 and shifted its focus toward last-mile delivery droids in late 2020. The company pivoted again to offer smart mobile stores<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8924">in March 2022.</a>Its remote-controlled delivery droids can travel on sidewalks at a max speed of 7 mph within a three-mile radius, can carry a payload of more than 100 lbs, and come equipped with a vending machine that is placed on top of them to operate as a mobile store. Tortoise provides the robots and software free and charges 10% of gross sales from the partnering companies. Customers can pay using their credit/debit cards and, upon successful payment, the mobile store will unlock the container. Built-in cameras and remote operators can track the goods taken and charge the customers if anything additional is taken.</div>

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

Last-mile Delivery Automation

<div>
 
 Tortoise began as an electric scooter manufacturer back in 2019 and shifted its focus toward last-mile delivery droids in late 2020. The company pivoted again to offer smart mobile stores 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8924">
 in March 2022.
 </a>
 Its remote-controlled delivery droids can travel on sidewalks at a max speed of 7 mph within a three-mile radius, can carry a payload of more than 100 lbs, and come equipped with a vending machine that is placed on top of them to operate as a mobile store. Tortoise provides the robots and software free and charges 10% of gross sales from the partnering companies. Customers can pay using their credit/debit cards and, upon successful payment, the mobile store will unlock the container. Built-in cameras and remote operators can track the goods taken and charge the customers if anything additional is taken.
 
 
 The company had 40 mobile stores deployed across the US as of July 2022, and has secured partnerships with retailers including Bake Sum, an Oakland, California-based bakery; Edith&rsquo;s, a Jewish comfort food store in Brooklyn, New York; Go Grocer, a Chicago-based corner store chain; virtual kitchen companies Reef and Nextbite; British grocer Jiffy; and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12211">
 Walmart.
 </a>
 The company also deployed its units at an NHL game in partnership with Aramark Sports &amp; Entertainment 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10216">
 (May 2022)
 </a>
 , and at Comic Con in San Diego, California in partnership with food service company Sodexo 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11730">
 (July 2022).
 </a>
 
 
 The previous system designed for last-mile package delivery came equipped with four lockable containers that can store ambient, chilled, and frozen products. One of the versions came equipped with a flatbed carrying platform that can be integrated with delivery containers from partnering companies. Companies could lease Tortoise&rsquo;s carts and customers would be responsible for storing, charging, and loading orders to the carts. Tortoise pitched its delivery service as built for pre-scheduled deliveries as opposed to an on-demand delivery service. However, with the shift toward mobile stores, the company was said to be suspending all its last-mile delivery partnerships. These included partnerships with stor.ai (formerly Self Point; 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25">
 November 2020),
 </a>
 Kosher Express (November 2020), Albertsons 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/100">
 (March 2021),
 </a>
 Vroom Delivery and Urban Value Corner Store 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/4798">
 (August 2021),
 </a>
 AxleHire 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5300">
 (September 2021),
 </a>
 ShopRite (September 2021), Choice Market (September 2021), King Retail Solutions 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5822">
 (October 2021),
 </a>
 Meijer (November 2021) and Planted Dertroit 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8566">
 (February 2022).
 </a>
 &nbsp;
 
 
 The company said that its human drivers give it a competitive edge over its autonomous rivals, claiming it enables the company to reach the market faster and ease concerns that state and local governments have towards self-driving robots.
 
 
 In April 2021, the company raised USD 8.3 million in a venture capital round.
 
 
 Key competitors: None comparable 
 (Tortoise is the only droid startup that develops smart mobile stores) 
 
 
 
 
</div>

<div>
 
 Zing Drone Delivery 
 offers an end-to-end drone delivery platform that works with DJI drones (a Chinese drone manufacturer). The platform comes with built-in software for precise landing, obstacle avoidance, and aircraft traffic detection. Drone pilots can team up with Zing to make deliveries with their own drones, while Zing undertakes the licensing and insuring of pilots. Customers can order food and over-the-counter (OTC) medication via Zing’s app and get the items delivered by a drone, while drone pilots earn USD 15 for each completed delivery. Its revenue model includes a monthly subscription fee and sales to pilots of custom delivery boxes that need to be attached to the drone at a cost of USD 80 per box. The company has a product development partnership with software company Airspace Link to integrate airspace awareness technology (December 2021). It also partnered with 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>
 
 
 In May 2020, with an initial group of 21 pilots, Zing launched its services in 21 cities across the US, including Miami, FL, Denver, CO, Columbia, SC, San Antonio, TX, Las Vegas, NV, and Encinitas, CA. In November 2020, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) partnered with Zing to test package deliveries under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s BEYOND program.
 
 
 Key competitors: None comparable 
 (Zing Drone Delivery offers a drone delivery platform that works with DJI drones—does not make the drone itself)
 
</div>

Zing Drone Delivery

<div>
 
 DroneUp is a drone startup offering drone-based delivery services, construction, real estate monitoring, aerial data capturing, and marketing services utilizing drones. DroneUp was also awarded an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Services Master Agreement in August 2019 allowing public sector institutions in the US to access DroneUp services. As of November 2020, nine states have signed Participating Addendums (PAs) for the service. The company announced plans to move away from other services, and primarily focus on last-mile delivery applications 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18602">
 in May 2023
 </a>
 &mdash;which also resulted in layoffs at the time.
 
 
 The company has operations in the US (including a 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12581">
 planned R&amp;D center in Virginia),
 </a>
 and announced plans to expand into Europe 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11637">
 in July 2022.
 </a>
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In June 2020, DroneUp launched its Operation Last-Mile project, in partnership with Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) to determine how unmanned aerial systems can be useful to make critical deliveries during a crisis under FAA regulations. DroneUp conducted drone-based deliveries in partnership with organizations including Walmart 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30">
 (since September 2020,
 </a>
 extended to launch multi-site operations in 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/6834">
 November 2021
 </a>
 and to extend services across six states 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10658">
 in May 2022);
 </a>
 NUAIR (Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance), SUNY Upstate Medical University 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/161">
 (June 2021);
 </a>
 the City of Ontario and the real estate company Brookfield Properties 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/4266">
 (July 2021);
 </a>
 Riverside Health System 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17938">
 (April 2023);
 </a>
 and Carilion Clinic 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19264">
 (June 2023).
 </a>
 
 
 DroneUp&rsquo;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 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/103">
 (March 2021),
 </a>
 and AirMap, an airspace management software provider for drones 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7177">
 (December 2021).
 </a>
 DroneUp also has product partnerships with companies including 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/865380">
 A2Z Drone Delivery
 </a>
 to integrate the latter&rsquo;s tethered freefall drone delivery technology into DroneUp&rsquo;s drones 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/105">
 (March 2021);
 </a>
 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>
 Irsi Automation to integrate airspace awareness tech into its drones 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18258">
 (May 2023);
 </a>
 and Wonder Robotics to integrate precision technology for drone-based deliveries 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18344">
 (May 2023).
 </a>
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 DroneUp received an undisclosed amount of funds from Walmart 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/167">
 in June 2021,
 </a>
 to develop a scalable last-mile delivery solution.
 
</div>

DroneUp

Agility Robotics develops a human-sized, bi-pedal robot called “Digit” designed for logistics applications including last-mile delivery (LMD). 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 40 lbs. The company has a production facility is in Albany, Oregon.The company's first bi-pedal research robot, Cassie, was used commercially since 2017 but has been shut down due to the release of Digit. Digit was developed in partnership with Ford Motor Company and has been available commercially since January 2020, with shipping to customers beginning in July 2020. 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 also planned to <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21927">open a manufacturing facility in Oregon</a> by late 2023 to mass-produce the units.Key customers and partnershipsThe company received its first order from Ford in January 2020 for two Digit robots. Since then, several other unnamed Fortune 100 companies have reportedly purchased the robots, primarily for warehouse automation rather than last-mile delivery.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; double its team by 2024; open a new facility in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and expand its existing Oregon facilities and Palo Alto, California operations.Key competitors: None comparable (Agility Robotics is the only startup developing a humanoid robot for parcel delivery)

Agility Robotics

<div>
 
 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. It flies at an altitude of 260 feet at a speed of more than 50 mph, delivering within a 1.2-mile radius in less than three minutes, carrying a payload of 4.4 lbs. In May 2021, Manna received the Irish Aviation Authority&rsquo;s (IAA) 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/62">
 &ldquo;Light UAS Operator Certificate&rdquo; (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.
 
 
 As of August 2022, Manna had completed around 100,000 test flights, serving around 45,000 eligible customers in Oranmore, Moneygall, and Balbriggan in Ireland. The company looks to 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12262">
 expand its reach
 </a>
 in Europe further and also announced plans to enter the US market 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17122">
 (Dallas, Texas)
 </a>
 in March 2023.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 Its partners include Flipdish (signing up 1,000+ restaurants in Ireland; June 2019), 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/91">
 Just Eat
 </a>
 (signing up Camile Thai restaurant and Ben and Jerry&rsquo;s ice cream for deliveries at University College Dublin; since February 2020), Tesco (a six-month trial in Oranmore; September 2020), Camile Thai&rsquo;s (for deliveries in Oranmore in February 2021; extending from a February 2020 partnership), 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/106">
 Samsung Electronics
 </a>
 (for deliveries starting from Oranmore; March 2021), Coca-Cola (for deliveries in Oranmore; June 2021), and several other cafes, shops, and supermarkets in Moneygall and Balbriggan. It also partnered with multinational real estate developer Hillwood 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17122">
 in March 2023,
 </a>
 to launch the service in Dallas, Texas.
 
 
 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. Previously, in April 2021, Manna 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/136">
 raised EUR 20.7 million (USD 25 million)
 </a>
 in a Series A funding round led by Draper Esprit, with participation from DST Global, Team Europe, and existing investors Dynamo Ventures, Atlantic Bridge, and Elkstone. The cash is going toward scaling up manufacturing and research and expanding operations to the UK and the US by 2023. 
 
</div>

Manna Drone Delivery

<div>
 
 Dianomix is a Canadian startup that develops a last mile delivery droid called Robox. Olivier Aubin and Ali Asghari co-founded the company, the former being an ex-employee of Google and Waymo with experience designing autonomous vehicles. The droids can deliver products within a distance of around three miles, and the large cargo space equipped with automatic unloading allows multiple deliveries in a single run. The robots are also proven to be operational even under bad weather conditions such as rain and light snow.
 
 
 The company plans to deliver groceries and other items from retailers to locals in Calgary, Alberta. As of October 2020, the company is engaged in testing the delivery droids in the community of Discovery Ridge. Dianomix pitches the product to retailers directly, where they can subscribe to the service and get access to multiple delivery droids. Upon retailers loading the bots and tagging the delivery address, Dianomix will take over the last mile delivery.
 
</div>

Dianomix Inc.

The solutions are electric and eco-friendly

Autonomous delivery solutions fall under Industry 4.0

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

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

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. 

Tortoise

Recent Updates

Tortoise partners with Walmart for droid-based food deliveries in Bentonville

Tortoise to deploy mobile delivery robots at the Comic Con in San Diego in partnership with Sodexo

Tortoise to deploy mobile delivery robots at NHL games in partnership with Aramark

Tortoise shifts focus toward mobile stores, away from package delivery

Tortoise partners with Planted Detroit to pilot food deliveries

Tortoise partners with King Retail Solutions to launch delivery droids at convenience stores across the US

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