"Peyton Perry heard a rumor that delivery robots would be coming to campus when she was a student at Fairfield University. Soon after, she saw her first robot at a campus Starbucks. She ordered food delivered by the robots multiple times during her junior year before her initial excitement wore off. By her senior year, she said, the robots had become a regular part of campus life."
"A few years ago, food delivery robots were infamous for being kicked and vandalized by students on college campuses. Then the market matured, the robots got better, and the programs expanded to more colleges. Major university food providers, including Sodexo and Aramark, began partnering with the robot companies. By now, at least 78 American universities have delivery robots roaming their campuses, based on figures three leading robot providers shared with Business Insider."
"Created by Skype cofounders Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis in 2014, Starship is the biggest campus provider, providing robot fleets to 60 universities. The company said it has over 2,000 robots deployed on campuses, delivering to 1.5 million students. It's raised $230 million, and was valued at $151 million in its Series C round in 2024, according to PitchBook. Starship said it's turned a profit on each delivery for over three years."
Delivery robots moved from novelty to daily presence on many college campuses as students began using them regularly. Early vandalism declined as companies improved robot technology and expanded programs. Major campus dining providers such as Sodexo and Aramark formed partnerships with robot companies, enabling broader rollouts. At least 78 American universities now host delivery robots. Companies have begun expanding beyond campuses, with larger delivery firms entering the market. Starship leads campus deployments with over 2,000 robots across 60 universities, serving roughly 1.5 million students and achieving per-delivery profitability.
Read at Business Insider
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