⏱️ Why DoorDash is turning to Robotics
⏱️ Why DoorDash is turning to Robotics
Plus, leading your startup through a crisis
24th May 2021 | 5th Edition
1. Leading Your Startup Through Crisis with Rachel Carrell, CEO of Koru Kids
Koru Kids is a London-based startup that recruits, trains, matches, and manages after-school nannies. When the pandemic hit last year, schools closed and everyone was at home, which meant demand for their product - at least in its current iteration - disappeared overnight.
So what did they do? Through a combination of data, clarity on their mission, and an unwavering commitment to deliver value to their customers, they were able to expand their existing product, roll out a new one, and launch a B2B proposition for NHS workers.
2. A $100 Million Bet on Cross-Country Restaurant Delivery
Have you heard of Goldbelly? They’re a San Francisco-based startup shipping food from iconic restaurants, not just locally, but nationwide!
“We’re basically opening up a 3,000-mile radius for restaurants.” Joe Ariel, Goldbelly’s co-founder and chief executive.
How does it work? Well, Goldbelly provides restaurants with boxes and cold packs for shipping orders, helping restaurants ship directly from their premises. In return, Goldbelly charges a fee, leading to premium prices. For example, shipping two Classic Neapolitan Pizzas from Di Fara, a renowned pizza joint in Brooklyn, costs an eye-watering $89.
3. Jeff Wittek’s Patreon Account Gets 37,000 Supporters In 10 Days With Docuseries Rollout. That‘s At Least $2.2 Million In Annual Revenue.
Vlog Squad member Jeff Wittek currently has a hit docuseries rolling out on YouTube. But the 31-year-old — who is sharing the graphic story of how he injured his skull, eye, and other parts of his body during a stunt gone awry — has also brought the project to a brand new Patreon account, where he’s achieved unfathomable success.
Jeff Wittek launched a Patreon account on April 19, stating that he planned to share behind-the-scenes content, bonus videos, and other moments from the series that had to be restricted due to YouTube guidelines. A little more than a week later, his Patreon has amassed a staggering 37,274 patrons, who are contributing either $5 (for early access to videos), $10 (early access + bonus videos), or $20 monthly (everything + live streams and “thirst traps”).
Those patron numbers and price points mean, at the very least, Wittek is taking home $186,370 per month (which equals out to roughly $2.2 million a year) on Patreon earnings alone.
4: DoorDash Buys Robot Food Prep Company Chowbotics
Back to food delivery again, and DoorDash has made a splash with their acquisition of Chowbotics.
Chowbotics makes a refrigerator-sized robot called Sally that can store up to 22 prepared ingredients. Sally uses those ingredients to make up to 65 salads, bowls, and other meals at a time.
DoorDash said Chowbotics' robots could allow its restaurant partners to offer more varieties of meals without having to expand their kitchen space. Other DoorDash merchants, like convenience stores, could also use it to expand into fresh food.
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