Forget furniture, start delivery for online shoppers
Founded in 2000 as an online furniture retailer in the central Estonian town of Viljandi, Cleveron soon found a new business focus − developing software and hardware for automated parcel terminals to overcome the inefficient and monopolistic delivery service.
The digital mindset of Estonia has influenced the entrepreneurial thinking, admitted Peep Kuld, co-founder of Cleveron at The Estonian Entrepreneurship Awards 2019 gala, where the company was named the Exporter of the Year. “The only way to be successful in entrepreneurship is to be in the internet or invent something that is based on computers or the Internet,” Kuld said.
In 2009, Cleveron started providing automated parcel locker services. The name Cleveron was registered, but in the beginning, the company used the name SmartPost.
In 2010, the parcel locker network along with the brand name SmartPost was sold to Itella Corporation. The company started to use the name Cleveron and focused on the development of software and hardware for automated click and collect parcel solutions
In summer 2017, the residents of Viljandi could order soft drinks to be delivered by drone across the lake. It was very popular among the customers. “We could be delivering with drones today, the technology is ready, it is just that we do not have the legislation,” told Arno Kütt to Life in Estonia magazine.
Self-driving robot courier
A year ago, in November 2018, Cleveron displayed the world’s first self-driving robot courier at the Robotex International Conference in Tallinn. This self-driving delivery robot is similar to a self-driving car. It can carry hundreds of kilograms of packages, and reaching its destination, the robot delivers the packages to the client’s personal parcel locker, or the client can pick them up from the autonomous robot manually. This robot will help to manage the growing e-commerce parcel volumes more effectively and make last mile delivery more convenient for the consumer.
Parcel robot for groceries
In August 2019, Cleveron launched a parcel robot for groceries that supports robotic click-and-collect orders, offering an efficient alternative to home delivery. Cleveron 501, a one-of-a-kind grocery robot enables grocery pick-up in just 20 seconds. It helps to make grocery click and collect cheaper, faster and more convenient for both grocers and consumers.
Opening of the Robotics Academy
In September 2019, Cleveron opened a robotics academy to provide professional higher education for young robotics enthusiasts in cooperation with Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences. The curriculum of Cleveron’s Academy will feature an integrated study method, in which academic studies are immediately followed by practice. This enables students to put their newly-acquired knowledge to work. The 3-year undergraduate programme will be carried out in Cleveron’s headquarters in Viljandi.
Innovator of last mile delivery
In October 2019, Cleveron was given the Last Mile Delivery Innovation Award at the Parcel and Postal Technology International Awards. Parcel and Postal Technology International is the world’s leading magazine in the postal technology sector. The award recognizes companies who are leading the way in improving last mile delivery. The award-winning robot is the robot courier on the cover of this story.
Cleveron (read more) robots have reached from Estonia to the US, Canada, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Great Britain.
Estonia is a world leader in the development and application of digital logistics. From data analytics and country single windows to mobile apps and delivery robots, Estonia improves supply chain efficiency and client experience from the first mile to last.
Read more about the digital logistics opportunities Estonia offers here or send us an e-Consulting request to get more detailed information.
