Coco begins robotic deliveries in Austin

Coco, a maker of remotely controlled delivery robots, has started deliveries in Austin. The company launched with 10 partners, including Tuk Tuk Thai Cafe, Clay Pit, Bamboo Bistro, Arpeggio Grill, Aviator Pizza and DeSano Pizzeria. It hopes to add more in the coming weeks.

Customers in the South Lamar, South Congress, South Austin, Downtown, Northside, North Loop and Domain neighborhoods can have their food delivered by a Coco robot.

“We’re excited that Coco is launching their first-ever expansion outside of California and bringing their innovative technology to Austin,” Roland Peña, senior vice president of Global Tech and Innovation for the Austin Chamber of Commerce, said. “Coco was founded on the same entrepreneurial spirit that Austin has been embracing for decades.”

The company also aims to expand to Dallas, Houston and Miami in the coming months. It has been making deliveries in Los Angeles, where it’s based, since 2021.

Coco promises its service can reduce delivery times by 30%. It’s robot have an on-time delivery rate of 97%, according to the company. It also promises that its robots can reduce delivery costs for vendors by 20-50%.

Reducing delivery times and costs are part of Coco’s goal to perfect last mile deliveries. The company is driving its expansion with a recent $56 million funding round.

“When evaluating markets for expansion, Austin stood out to the team as a perfect match,” Zach Rash, co-founder and CEO of Coco, said. “Austin’s entrepreneurial spirit, top notch food scene, and commitment to supporting small businesses makes it an ideal fit for Coco.”

Coco integrates with existing delivery platforms, like DoorDash and UberEats, used by its partner restaurants. The company promises it can deliver to customers within 15 minutes or less. It was founded in 2019.