German-founded robot navigation software startup Cartken has raised $22.5 million in total funding in its latest $10 million funding round.
Existing mobile robot solutions in last-mile delivery and industrial environments are often limited to specific environments and struggle to transition between indoor and outdoor environments.
Cartken’s autonomous navigation system removes these limitations, navigating effortlessly through a variety of environments, including industrial parks, production facilities, university and office campuses and neighborhoods.
Cartken’s hardware-agnostic software platform uses low-cost, commoditized sensors and cameras instead of expensive LIDAR systems, allowing multiple vehicle types to operate safely around pedestrians and employees, safely share sidewalks, and interact with automobile and other vehicular traffic.
Since its inception, Cartken has completed hundreds of thousands of deliveries, averaging 36,000 deliveries per month.
In 2023 alone, it has saved employees over 10,000 hours of transportation time. Cartken serves some of the largest companies in the OEM, biotech, pharmaceutical and chemical sectors across the US, Germany, Denmark and Japan, and is also fully integrated with delivery platforms such as Uber Eats and Grubhub.
Recently, Cartken partnered with Uber Eats and Mitsubishi Electric to launch in Tokyo.
“This investment accelerates Cartken on its path to a future where autonomous technology is pervasive in most transportation applications,” said Christian Börsch, co-founder and CEO of Cartken.
“Our mission is to make this new technology accessible to businesses across all industries to automate their operations, improve productivity and keep their employees safe.”
The round was led by 468 Capital, with participation from Incubate Fund, LDV Partners, Vela Partners, and global mobility technology leaders including Magna International, Mitsubishi Electric, Shell Ventures and Volex.
Bernhard Janke and Bardo Droege, partners at 468 Capital, said:
“Cartken’s approach to autonomous navigation systems will revolutionize industrial automation and last-mile delivery.
We are pleased to support a team that combines deep technical expertise with a clear vision for the future of autonomous driverless vehicles in Europe and beyond. We believe Cartken’s approach gives us a clear glimpse into the future.”
This investment will enable Cartken to grow rapidly in new sectors and drive the future of industrial automation and last-mile delivery.
Main image: Cartken. Photo: Uncredited.
