ROLO Robotics, a Singapore-based food robotics company, has successfully raised US$3.45m in an oversubscribed seed funding round. The investment, led by BEENEXT and supported by Blueprint Ventures, TIS Japan, Seedstars, A2D Ventures, SUTD Ventures, Antler, and Lotus One Investment, will be used to scale the company’s autonomous micro-kitchen solutions. Strategic angels Valentin Schillo and Gilbert Rodrigues also participated in the round.
The funding comes at a time when labour shortages and rising costs are challenging food operators worldwide. In Singapore, food and beverage wages have increased by 40–50% over the past five years, with turnover rates exceeding 100% annually. ROLO Robotics’ micro-kitchen solutions aim to alleviate these pressures by offering unmanned cooking and service through robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI). These systems can operate 24/7, reducing labour costs by up to 80% whilst enhancing food quality and safety.
Ravi Nahappan, Co-Founder and CEO of ROLO Robotics, stated, “At ROLO, we believe the future of food service is human-robot collaboration — food that’s affordable, customisable and always fresh.” The company’s flagship product, MAYA 3.0, is the world’s first autonomous fast-food kiosk, capable of cooking, packaging, and serving meals with full customisation options.
Jeremy Soh, Vice President at BEENEXT, commented on the investment, saying, “ROLO isn’t just prototyping — it’s deploying real systems that solve real labour and cost challenges.” The company plans to deploy its technology across Singapore in collaboration with food operators, universities, hospitals, and transport hubs, with pilot sites in Australia to follow.
