German startup specializing in robotic navigation software Carts raised $22.5 million in total funding with final funding round of $10 million
Existing mobile robot solutions in last-mile delivery and industrial environments are often limited to specific environments, and struggle to transition between indoor and outdoor environments.
Cartken’s autonomous navigation system eliminates these limitations and enables effortless navigation in diverse environments such as industrial complexes, production facilities, university and office campuses, and neighborhoods.
Cartken’s hardware-independent software platform uses low-cost, standardized sensors and cameras instead of expensive LIDAR systems. It enables multiple vehicle types to safely navigate around pedestrians and workers, safely share pedestrian paths, and interact with car and other traffic.
Since its inception, Cartken has completed hundreds of thousands of deliveries, averaging 36,000 deliveries per month.
In 2023 alone, Cartken saved its employees over 10,000 hours of commuting time. Serving some of the largest OEM, biotech, pharmaceutical, and chemical players in the US, Germany, Denmark, and Japan, Cartken is also fully integrated with delivery platforms like Uber Eats and Grubhub.
Recently, Cartken launched its operations in Tokyo, Japan in partnership with Uber Eats and Mitsubishi Electric.
“This investment accelerates Cartken’s journey toward a future where autonomous driving technology will be ubiquitous in most transportation applications,” said Christian Bersch, co-founder and CEO of Cartken.
“Our mission is to make this new technology accessible to companies in all sectors, so that they can automate their operations, improve their productivity and guarantee the safety of their employees.”
468 Capital led the round, with participation from Incubate Fund, LDV Partners and Vela Partners alongside global mobility technology leaders including Magna International, Mitsubishi Electric, Shell Ventures and Volex.
According to Bernhard Janke and Bardo Droege, partners at 468 Capital:
“Cartken’s approach to autonomous navigation systems is poised to revolutionize industrial automation and last-mile delivery.
“We are delighted to support a team that combines deep technical expertise with a clear vision for the future of unmanned autonomous vehicles in and outside of Europe. We believe Cartken’s approach gives us a clear insight into the future.”
This investment enables Cartken to rapidly grow into new verticals, enabling the future of industrial automation and last-mile delivery.
Main image: Cartken. Photo: uncredited.
