In a groundbreaking move, two Estonian delivery scale-ups are joining forces to expand revolutionary delivery solutions. Starship Technologies, the global leader in autonomous delivery services, has announced a strategic partnership with Bolt, Europe’s first super-app for mobility. This collaboration marks the beginning of an exciting journey between two of Estonia’s most innovative delivery companies as thousands of Starship vehicles will be deployed to provide Bolt Food deliveries, offering customers a sustainable and cutting-edge delivery option.
Fun, fully electric, and future-proofed
Under this new commercial partnership, Bolt and Starship will unleash a fleet of small autonomous robots to revolutionise the delivery landscape across multiple countries, starting already this year.
The announcement comes at a time of celebration for Starship Technologies, as the company recently achieved a remarkable milestone in the industry. With 5 million commercial deliveries completed worldwide, Starship has solidified its position as the go-to provider of autonomous delivery services. Impressively, this milestone was reached in just seven months since the company celebrated 4 million deliveries in November 2022, highlighting the ever-increasing demand for such services.
Bolt boasts an impressive customer base of over 100 million users across 45 countries and 500 cities globally. Known for its diverse range of mobility services, including ride-hailing, micromobility, and food and grocery delivery, Bolt will now expand its offering with the integration of Starship’s robots. This collaboration allows Bolt to provide customers with a comprehensive range of multi-modal delivery options tailored to their basket size and distance, ultimately increasing profitability per delivery.
Jevgeni Kabanov, President of Bolt, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “This collaboration will offer millions of Bolt Food customers a new, sustainable delivery option powered by Starship’s beloved service, which has enjoyed tremendous success over the past five years.”
Alastair Westgarth, CEO of Starship Technologies, echoed Kabanov’s sentiments, emphasising the shared goal of making local transportation more sustainable. “Our autonomous delivery service provides a convenient and on-demand solution, aligning perfectly with Bolt’s portfolio of services. Together, we can expand into new markets and introduce fun, fully electric, and future-proofed delivery options,” Westgarth said.
Estonian collaboration for a global win
The partnership between Starship Technologies and Bolt is particularly significant, as both companies share Estonian roots. Estonia has gained global recognition for its digital innovation and is home to more tech unicorns per capita than any other country in Europe. A notable highlight of the Starship co-founders is their previous venture Skype, the first Estonian unicorn. Skype’s huge success set off a remarkable chain reaction, turning Estonia into Europe’s unicorn factory.
With a fleet of over 2,000 robots operating at Level 4 autonomy since 2018, Starship Technologies has become a dominant force in the industry. These robots complete an astounding 140,000 road crossings worldwide daily and are a very familiar seeing on the streets of Estonian cities.
Starship’s delivery robots have become a familiar sight in various locations, including Wakefield in the UK, along with Milton Keynes, Northampton, Bedford, Cambourne, Cambridge, Leeds, and Trafford. Additionally, multiple university campuses across the United States benefit from Starship’s services. Overall, Starship operates in more than 50 service areas worldwide, providing millions of people with access to delivery robots on a daily basis.
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