Venture Capital: Dexai Robotics Raises $5.5M To Develop Alfred, an Aspiring Robotic Chef

Plug-and-play Alfred (in the picture) can rustle up a salad bowl.
Dexai Robotics addresses the labor shortage in the restaurant industry by developing AI-powered robotics for commercial kitchens. It raised $5.5 million in a seed round led by Hyperplane Venture Capital. (Perishable News.com)
New investors in the startup included Rho Capital, Harlem Capital, Contour Venture Partners, and NextView Ventures.
About Alfred
Alfred, the Dexai-built robot, can prepare meals in existing kitchens from different cuisines. It is plug-and-play convenience personified. Its artificial intelligence software immediately recognizes its surroundings and sets it up for the task at hand. By using standard utensils, it can prepare a range of dishes such as ice cream sundaes, quinoa bowls, and poke.
“We’re teaching robots how to ‘see’ and identify different objects and foodstuffs, and prepare the delicious recipes that people already know and enjoy,” said David MS Johnson, Dexai’s CEO and Co-Founder.
One of the main challenges faced by restaurants in the US is the recruitment, training, and retention of employees. This is a result of the acute labor shortage in the industry.
“There appear to be no signs of that abating,” said Michael Kaufman, a Dexai adviser and a past chair of the National Restaurant Association’s board. “Alfred is an impressive and thoughtfully designed solution for restaurant operators to consider.”
Moreover, Alfred is superior to human beings in speed and accuracy and can be used to prepare salads, bowls, etc. without any alteration to a quick-service restaurant’s layout or recipes.
“The Dexai team identified a huge need in the food industry, resulting from shifting eating habits where people eat much more away from the home, and the rise of delivery, evidenced by the rapid growth of ghost kitchens and food ordering platforms,” said Vivjan Myrto, a Managing Partner at Hyperplane. He has joined the Dexai Board of Directors.
Other robotic raisings
Hyperplane has also invested in Soft Robotics Inc., a startup building bots with dexterous gripping “hands.” In January, Soft raised $23 million in a Series B round co-led by Calibrate Ventures and Material Impact. Existing investors Honeywell, Scale, Tekfen Ventures, and Yamaha participated in the round. FANUC Corp., the world’s largest industrial robot manufacturer, also came on board.
Meanwhile, in December, Dusty Robotics, maker of the world’s most advanced building layout robot for the construction industry, closed a $5 million seed round led by NextGen Venture Partners. Existing investors Baseline Ventures, Root Ventures, and Cantos Ventures also participated.
Related Story: Venture Capital: Restaurant Software Maker Toast Raises $400 Million

Latest Alternative Investment News

Digital Assets: Chase UK Blocks Crypto Transactions; CoinBase CEO Brian Armstrong Pans Decision
Chase U.K. is set to block crypto-related payments starting October 16, with customers no longer able to make such transactions using debit cards or outgoing bank transfers. In an email…

FinTech: Visa Commercial Pay Virtual Cards Now Available To Lloyds Bank Customers
Visa (NYSE: V) and Lloyds Bank (LON: LLOY) have joined forces to introduce a cutting-edge virtual card solution, designed to cater to businesses of all sizes. This innovative product, known…

Artificial Intelligence: Tree-Strapped AI Sentries Warn Of Deforestation In Real Time
Small AI-equipped boxes called “curupiras” have been deployed in the Brazilian Amazon to combat deforestation. These boxes use sensors and AI software to detect sounds of chainsaws and tractors, signaling…

Venture Capital: Industry Ventures Closes On $1.7B In Commitments For Two Funds
Industry Ventures has successfully raised over $1.7 billion in two new funds aimed at assisting venture capital investors in achieving liquidity. The first fund, Industry Ventures Secondary X, has attracted…