Captain AI, a restaurant logistics startup, has secured $2.1 million in seed funding to expand its presence in Canada and the United States (US). Founded by Canadians but initially launched in the UK, the company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) platform over six years aimed at helping restaurant chains enhance their in-house food delivery operations.
The startup’s anchor client, Pizza Pizza, with over 730 locations in Canada, played a significant role in Captain AI’s decision to relocate to Canada. Canadian investors, including GreenSky Ventures and Techstars Toronto, support this expansion.
Captain AI offers AI-powered software designed to improve delivery speed, optimize kitchen workflows, and enhance the customer experience for chain restaurants. It originally began as a 60-minute delivery service called Henchman, which later transitioned into focusing on providing technology solutions for restaurant chains.
Many restaurants currently rely on third-party delivery services, which can be costly, while those with their driver fleets often lack efficient technology solutions. Captain AI aims to address this gap by offering technology to manage in-house drivers, improving operational efficiency, and providing a better customer experience.
The company is excited about its upcoming smart kitchen system, which will help cooks prioritize food orders based on driver return times. Captain AI, which participated in Techstars Toronto’s 2022 cohort, plans to incorporate in Canada by early next year.
Despite already processing over 500,000 deliveries monthly worldwide, Captain AI believes there is significant room for growth in North America. The company will use a portion of its seed funding to focus on sales and marketing as it seeks to expand its services to more restaurant chains across the continent.
