Singapore, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ROLO Robotics, is a Singapore-based food robotics company pioneering fully autonomous micro-kitchen solutions and systems, has raised US$3.45 million in an oversubscribed Seed round led by BEENEXT, with participation from Blueprint Ventures, TIS Japan, Seedstars, A2D Ventures, SUTD Ventures, Antler, and Lotus One Investment. The round also saw continued support from strategic angels Valentin Schillo and Gilbert Rodrigues.

Labor shortages are a growing global problem driving up consumer prices
Across developed markets globally, mounting labour shortages, soaring wages, and tightening margins are the key challenges for any food operator today. In Singapore, F&B wages have risen 40–50 % over five years while turnover exceeds 100 % annually. Rising rents, food costs and compliance costs further strain profitability, forcing many kitchens to reduce hours or close altogether. Margins are shrinking, yet the demand for variety and optionality continue to soar. Those who win, do so because they have found a way to maintain margins and profitability at scale.  

ROLO's Robotics micro-kitchen solutions offer unmanned cooking and service through robotics, automation and AI, removing dependency on human labor. Each autonomous unit can operate 24/7 with minimal replenishment, cutting labour costs by up to 80 % across the value chain while improving consistency, quality, food safety, availability and driving down costs for consumers.

"At ROLO, we believe the future of food service is human-robot collaboration — food that's affordable, customisable and always fresh," said Ravi Nahappan, Co-Founder & CEO. "MAYA 3.0 brings industrial-grade precision into everyday kitchens. This funding allows us to accelerate deployments in Singapore and Australia while strengthening the connective tissue between robotics, AI and future humanoid collaboration."

MAYA 3.0 – The World's First Autonomous Fast-Food Kiosk
ROLO's flagship solution -      MAYA 3.0 - integrates robotic arms, multi-appliance coordination and proprietary ChefOS AI to cook, package and serve fresh meals in a compact footprint. Unlike vending or reheated meal systems, MAYA visibly cooks food to order with full customisation of flavours and add-ons. It provides convenience with customisation. The menu offering does not stop there with other cuisine workflows including Asian Noodles, Salad Bowls, Pasta and Wok dishes in the pipeline.        

Jeremy Soh, Vice President at BEENEXT, added: "ROLO isn't just prototyping — it's deploying real systems that solve real labour and cost challenges. The combination of reliable hardware and intelligent orchestration software gives ROLO a defensible edge. With commercial pilots already signed, Ravi and Tushar are building a category-defining company at the forefront of applied robotics in food service."

Deployments are planned across Singapore in partnership with food operators, universities, hospitals and transport hubs, followed by pilot sites in Australia (Q1 2026). The company targets 20–30 autonomous micro-kitchens in Singapore by 2026, creating a distributed, connected network of always-on robotic micro-kitchens.

Building the Connected Ecosystem for the Future of Food
Beyond its own units, ROLO is partnering with ingredient producers, kitchen-equipment makers and contract caterers to develop automation-ready products and integrate its control software into next-generation appliances. This ecosystem approach allows the entire supply chain — from central kitchens to facility operators — to scale efficiently and sustainably.    

About ROLO Robotics
Founded in Singapore, ROLO Robotics develops autonomous kitchen systems that merge robotics, AI and food engineering to power the next generation of food service. Its flagship micro-kitchen, MAYA, enables 24/7 unmanned operation across retail, campus, industrial and hospitality environments.

Media Contact
hello@rolorobotics.com | www.rolorobotics.com | ROLO Robotics Pte Ltd, Singapore