Total amount raised
$1.2 Billion
Latest funding date
April, 2019
Location
Zipline has successfully raised significant capital through multiple funding rounds, with the latest being a Series F round. The company is backed by a diverse group of 42 investors, including notable names like Katalyst Ventures and Reinvent Capital.
Keep reading to explore the intricacies of Zipline's fundraising journey and the investors backing this innovative platform.
What Is Zipline?
Zipline, founded in 2011, is a California-based automated logistics company specializing in drone delivery. The company was established in San Francisco by James Knight, Keenan Wyrobek, Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, and Will Hetzler.
Zipline designs, manufactures, and operates drones to deliver vital medical products, aiming to provide instant access to essential supplies. The company tests its technology in Half Moon Bay and assembles the drones and their distribution technology.
With a workforce of 1001-5000 employees, Zipline continues to innovate in the field of autonomous logistics, ensuring rapid and precise delivery services.
How Much Funding Has Zipline Raised?
- Seed Round
- Amount Raised: Not publicly disclosed
- Date: December 2011
- Lead Investors: Not publicly disclosed
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: Initial funding to develop the core technology and business model.
- Series A
- Amount Raised: $18M
- Date: July 2015
- Lead Investors: Sequoia Capital, Visionnaire Ventures
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To scale operations and expand the team.
- Series B
- Amount Raised: $25M
- Date: November 2016
- Lead Investors: Visionnaire Ventures
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To enhance drone technology and increase delivery capacity.
- Series C
- Amount Raised: $70M
- Date: March 2018
- Lead Investors: Katalyst Ventures
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To expand into new markets and improve logistics infrastructure.
- Series D
- Amount Raised: $120M
- Date: March 2019
- Lead Investors: The Rise Fund
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To support international expansion and regulatory compliance.
- Venture Round
- Amount Raised: Not publicly disclosed
- Date: October 2020
- Lead Investors: Not publicly disclosed
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To develop new drone models and enhance service offerings.
- Secondary Market
- Amount Raised: $8M
- Date: March 2021
- Lead Investors: Not publicly disclosed
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To provide liquidity for early investors and employees.
- Series E
- Amount Raised: $250M
- Date: June 2021
- Lead Investors: Baillie Gifford, Katalyst Ventures, Temasek Holdings
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To accelerate growth and expand the delivery network.
- Series F
- Amount Raised: $330M
- Date: April 2023
- Lead Investors: Not publicly disclosed
- Valuation at Round: $4.2B
- Motivation Behind the Round: To grow operations and launch a new home delivery service.
Total Amount Raised: $821M. Current Valuation: $4.2B.
Key Investors
- Sequoia Capital
- Details: Sequoia Capital is a venture capital firm known for investing in early and growth-stage companies across various sectors. They have a long history of backing successful startups and helping them scale.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology, healthcare, consumer services, financial services.
- Notable Investments: Apple, Google, Oracle, PayPal, LinkedIn, WhatsApp.
- Andreessen Horowitz
- Details: Andreessen Horowitz is a private venture capital firm that invests in both early-stage startups and established growth companies. They are known for their significant influence in the tech industry.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology, software, healthcare, financial services.
- Notable Investments: Facebook, Twitter, Airbnb, Lyft, Slack, GitHub.
- GV (formerly Google Ventures)
- Details: GV is the venture capital investment arm of Alphabet Inc., focusing on early-stage and growth-stage investments. They leverage Google's resources to support their portfolio companies.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology, life sciences, healthcare, artificial intelligence, robotics.
- Notable Investments: Uber, Nest, Slack, Flatiron Health, One Medical.
- Katalyst Ventures
- Details: Katalyst Ventures is a venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage investments in technology and innovation. They aim to support disruptive technologies and visionary entrepreneurs.
- Investment Focus Areas: Early-stage technology companies.
- Notable Investments: Not specified in the sources.
- Reinvent Capital
- Details: Reinvent Capital is a venture capital firm that focuses on investing in innovative companies. They aim to support transformative technologies and business models.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology and innovation-driven companies.
- Notable Investments: Not specified in the sources.
What's Next for Zipline?
Zipline's future is brimming with opportunities, particularly with the launch of its new home delivery service and the deployment of the P2 Zip drone. These advancements open doors to partnerships with companies like Sweetgreen and Michigan Medicine, and the potential to extend its Series F-1 funding round by up to $20 million. The company's valuation of $4.2 billion underscores the vast market potential and investor confidence.
Future fundraising seems promising, with continued interest from both new and existing investors. However, Zipline will need to navigate regulatory hurdles in different countries and manage the complexity of its logistics network. Despite these challenges, the growing interest in drone delivery systems and the company's innovative approach position Zipline well for sustained growth and expansion.
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