Following Uber’s acquisition of Postmates, the robotics division of Postmates has spun out as an independent company called Serve Robotics to build pavement delivery robots.

With seed funding from Neo, California-based Serve Robotics is expanding partnerships and accelerating the adoption of autonomous robots.

Serve Robotics has closed its first round of funding, led by venture capital firm Neo with participation by Uber and other investors.

Serve Robotics says it will continue spearheading the development of a new form of mobility by creating autonomous robots to deliver goods in urban environments. Its fleet has already proven its viability by serving thousands of households in Los Angeles and has been useful during the pandemic by providing customers with contactless delivery.

As an independent start-up, the company will expand its market reach through partnerships as it continues to design, develop and operate delivery robots specialised in navigating pavements or sidewalks.

“While self-driving cars remove the driver, robotic delivery eliminates the car itself and makes deliveries sustainable and accessible to all,” said Ali Kashani, co-founder and CEO of Serve Robotics. “Over the next two decades, new mobility robots will enter every aspect of our lives, first moving food, then everything else.”

Nearly half of all restaurant deliveries in the USA are within a 40-minute walk, offering an opportunity for robotic delivery to complete them faster, safer and at a lower cost to consumers and restaurants. Food delivery is a growing industry, fuelled by the global pandemic, with just the US food delivery app revenue expected to grow from $26.5bn in 2020 to $42bn in five years.

“We’re excited for the potential of Serve robots to help our restaurant partners grow their business and find new convenient, safe and reliable ways to reach customers,” said Stephane Ficaja, general manager in the USA and Canada for Uber Eats.

Ali Partovi, CEO of Neo, added: “Just as the automobile transformed our cities a century ago, another major transformation is beginning, with new mobility form factors being introduced over this decade. We’re thrilled to partner with the Serve team and we believe they’ll attract some of the brightest minds in autonomy and robotics.”

Other investors include Uber, Lee Jacobs and Cyan Banister’s Long Journey Ventures, Western Technology Investment, Scott Banister, Farhad Mohit, and Postmates co-founders Bastian Lehmann and Sean Plaice.