Starship Technologies plans to focus its operations on retail grocery chains and hot food delivery in cities across Europe and the United States, while winding down its U.S. university campus operations. The Tallinn- and San Francisco-based autonomous delivery company said it expects its grocery delivery operations to grow tenfold over the next two years, supported by demand from retailers in Europe and the United States. In Finland, Starship said its robots now complete about one in five grocery deliveries, equivalent to approximately 20% market penetration.
As part of the shift, more than 1,200 robots from Starship’s U.S. campus fleet will be redeployed to support grocery retailers in Europe and the United States. The company said it plans to announce new grocery retailer partnerships in the United States in the coming months.
Ahti Heinla, Starship’s chief executive and co-founder, said the company was seeing demand for delivery robots across industries including industrial sites, universities and corporate environments, but would concentrate on the area it considers to offer the greatest value for clients and the business.
“We built something remarkable on US campuses, and we’re proud of that work,” Heinla said. “When we started in 2018, operating in closed, controlled environments was the right foundation: it gave us the operational depth and real-world delivery data that no lab could provide. Now we can operate reliably at scale in open urban environments, which is exactly what grocery delivery demands.”
Heinla said Starship’s robots deliver groceries at a cost of $3 to $4 less per delivery than traditional courier fulfilment.
Starship said it has worked with university campuses and industry partners to maintain service through the back-to-school 2026-2027 season and to establish transition plans intended to reduce disruption for campus communities.
The company said it has completed more than 10 million deliveries. Founded in 2014 by Heinla and Janus Friis, Starship operates more than 3,000 robots across more than 300 locations in eight countries. It said it raised $50 million in October 2025, bringing total funding to more than $280 million.
