The Venture Codex

Participated · Equity · Dec 2020

Karakuri develops the DK-One, a pre-production food-robotics system initially designed to make breakfast bowls and capable of producing high-quality hot and cold meals. The DK-One dispenses up to 18 temperature-controlled ingredients (wet, dry, soft or hard) onto plates, bowls or containers and uses robotics, sensing and control technologies. Customers tailor portions via an app that tracks ingredients, nutrients, calories and quantities, enabling personalized nutrition and real-time data on ingredients. The system is positioned to augment kitchen staff by taking on repetitive tasks, improve cleanliness and efficiency post-COVID, and reduce food waste through accurate portioning. Karakuri plans on further on-site customer trials of the DK-One in the first half of 2021. Financially, the company disclosed an $8.4M (≈£6.3M) investment round and has closed a total of £13.5M in funding. Karakuri develops integrated robotics and machine-learning systems—using optics and sensors—to prepare personalized, freshly made meals onsite. Its robots can match exact customer requirements (for example ingredient exclusions or specific dressing amounts) and aim to reduce food waste. The technology is positioned to enable restaurants, cafes and food retailers to move away from mass pre-packaged meals toward localized micro-manufacturing. Karakuri emphasizes menu personalization to meet growing consumer dietary requirements and changing eating habits. The company has built an advisory board with industry experts from ARM, Ocado, Imperial College, Bristol Robotics Lab and the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics. Leadership includes CEO and co-founder Barney Wragg, and the company emerged from the Founders Factory incubator.