Cartken Raises $22.5M to Advance AI-Driven Delivery Robots

By James Dargan

Last modified: July 17, 2024

Cartken Inc., an AI-driven autonomous delivery solutions pioneer, announced it has secured $22.5 million in total funding, including a recent $10 million round led by 468 Capital. The funding round included participation from Magna International, Shell Ventures, Mitsubishi Electric, Incubate Fund, LDV Partners, and Vela Partners.

Cartken plans to use the funds to enhance its enterprise partnerships, advance its self-driving technology, and revolutionize industrial automation and last-mile delivery. Cartken’s AI and computer vision-powered robots are designed to operate efficiently in both indoor and outdoor environments, improving operational efficiency and productivity.

Using low-cost sensors and cameras instead of expensive LIDAR systems, Cartken’s software allows various vehicle types to safely navigate complex environments like industrial complexes, campuses, and neighborhoods. The company has completed hundreds of thousands of deliveries, averaging 36,000 deliveries per month, saving employees over 10,000 hours in transportation time in 2023 alone.

Cartken serves major players in the OEM, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and chemical sectors across the United States, Germany, Denmark, and Japan, and has integrated with delivery platforms like Uber Eats and Grubhub. Recently, it launched operations in Tokyo in collaboration with Uber Eats and Mitsubishi Electric.

This investment will enable Cartken to expand into new verticals, driving the future of industrial automation and last-mile delivery.

Words from those involved in the funding round:

“This investment accelerates Cartken’s path towards a future where self-driving technology is ubiquitous across most transport applications.

Our mission is to make this new technology accessible to companies across industries, allowing them to automate their operations, improve productivity, and ensure employee safety.”

— Christian Bersch, Co-Founder and CEO of Cartken

“Cartken’s approach to autonomous navigation systems is set to revolutionize industrial automation and last-mile delivery. We are thrilled to support a team that combines deep technical expertise with a clear vision for the future of autonomous unmanned vehicles from and for Europe.”