Temasek unit backs $3.7m round of SG robot barista firm

Heliconia Capital Management, a subsidiary of Temasek Holdings, participated in Singapore-based hardware and software startup Crown Digital’s SG$5 million (US$3.7 million) pre-series A round. The startup operates robot barista Ella, which can brew 200 cups of coffee per hour.

Ella, the robot barista / Photo credit: Crown Digital

The company will use the fresh funds to scale up production and resources as it aims to expand across Asia, said Crown Digital CEO and founder Keith Tan.

The startup provides a contactless and cashless artisanal coffee experience to grab-and-go commuters. The company said Ella was one of the world’s first successful robot baristas.

Tan said the AI-based ecosystem for food and beverage solutions was more relevant than ever in the post-Covid-19 world.

The series A round, which is expected to close in June, will go toward enhancing Ella’s design and tech and scaling up its manufacturing.

In March, Crown Digital launched a new automated sandwich cafe called Bytes Station at Raffles Place mass rapid transit (MRT) station in Singapore. It is set to launch similar concepts in 29 MRT stations across the country.

East Japan Railway Company, which participated in Crown Digital’s seed round, recently completed a joint test marketing exercise at Japan’s Tokyo and Yokohama stations.

Other investors in the latest round include

• Momentum Ventures
• ParticleX
• Leave a Nest
• Gloca Link
• M4ever

Currency converted from Singapore dollar to US dollar: 1 US$ = 1.36 SG$