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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ukraine's drone units are operating more like scrappy startups than traditional military units.</li><li>The Wall Street Journal visited a battalion that was formed by unpaid civilians but has evolved.</li></ul>Some of Ukraine's drone units are operating more like edgy tech start-ups than military units, as they continue to play an oversized role in the country's military defenses.According to a report by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/ukraine-gamers-drone-pilots-russia-85a1af3b?mod=hp_lead_pos82&amp;mod=hp_lead_pos8">The Wall Street Journal</a>, drone pilots are now the deadliest soldiers on the modern battlefield. And the way they operated is far from traditional military approaches.The Journal met with Clear Eyes, a drone battalion that started out as unpaid civilian enthusiasts relying on commercial drones to track Russian military movements.The battalion's headquarters now has workshops for engineers, a pilot-training school, as well as a ping-pong table.Meanwhile, the group uses houses in eastern Ukraine as bomb factories and tech hubs to modify Soviet-era rocket-propelled grenades and upgrade Russian glide bombs to create larger munitions for their drones.Heorhiy Volkov, 37, the owner of a marketing agency who leads the battalion, sometimes gives the impression of heading a startup rather than a military unit, according to the Journal.Volkov said the key to success is innovation, logistics, and communications, as well as solid military tactics."One good pilot doesn't change anything," he said, adding: "We are a team of civilians who want to kill Russians with our cleverness and technology."The Journal reported that the majority of personnel in Ukrainian drone units never served in the military before, and largely ignore aspects of ranks, including saluting and waiting for orders.Since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has turned to drones to try to give it an edge against Russia's larger military.Ukraine has used drones to conduct strikes on Russian <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-air-defenses-cant-stop-ukraine-from-striking-deep-intel-2024-9">ammunition depots</a>, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-attacks-russian-energy-infrastructure-small-cheap-drones-2024-1">gas</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-drone-liutyi-behind-majority-ukraine-attacks-russia-oil-facilities-2024-5">oil</a> facilities deep inside Russia, eroding Russia's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-strikes-ammo-depots-impacting-russia-weaponry-advantage-experts-2024-10">artillery advantage</a>.Earlier this year it used unconventional strategies and innovative naval technologies, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-says-sea-baby-drones-hit-russia-ships-anywhere-black-sea-2024-7">sea drones</a>, to go after Russia's Black Sea Fleet, forcing it to relocate away from its Crimea headquarters.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-ukraine-night-attack-russia-position-flaming-dragon-drone-2024-9">In September, nighttime</a> <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-ukrainian-dragon-drone-appears-destroy-russian-tank-2024-10">footage</a> released by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-fiery-dragon-drones-aim-strike-terror-russia-soldiers-experts-2024-9">Ukraine</a> showed "dragon drones" dropping molten material on Russian positions, likely as part of efforts to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-fiery-dragon-drones-aim-strike-terror-russia-soldiers-experts-2024-9">instill fear</a> in Russian troops.The Journal also interviewed Oleksandr Dakhno, a 29-year-old former director of a coworking space.Dakhno is now a drone pilot who claims to have killed about 300 Russian soldiers in a year and a half, and to have once flown a drone with a 9-pound bomb into a school auditorium where Russian soldiers were sheltering.In October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country can now produce 4 million drones a year, and is ramping up production."In extremely difficult conditions of the full-scale war under constant Russian strikes, Ukrainians were able to build a virtually new defense industry," he added.

Ukraine's drone teams are operating more like tech startups than military units

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Playground, a preschool software startup, was founded by Sasha Reiss and the Andrews brothers.</li><li>More Gen Zs are jumping on the "friendpreneur" trend and launching startups with friends.</li></ul>Sasha Reiss and brothers Daniel and Josh Andrews met over a decade ago in high school. From an early age, the trio worked well together — and now, in their mid-20s, they are in business together. "Sasha was basically our mom's third son," Daniel Andrews told Business Insider. "Growing up, we all worked in my mom's preschool — and the three of us realized we could help our family run the place better with technological improvements."The Andrews had a strong technical background, with degrees in computer science and engineering, while Reiss had expertise in design. Together, they founded and launched Playground, a preschool software management startup that handles everything from registration and payroll to attendance. The startup has raised $3.4 million since its launch in 2020.The trio are part of a growing 'friendpreneur' trend that's particularly popular among Gen Zs. Research published in July and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.photoroom.com/blog/friendpreneurship">commissioned by AI photo app Photoroom</a> — which surveyed 6,000 respondents across the US, UK, Mexico, Brazil, Korea, and Japan — found that more Gen Zs are launching startups with their friends. Around 60% of Gen Z founders who were surveyed had involved their friends in the business, compared to 42% of millennials and 21% of Gen X and boomers.Reiss and the Andrews brothers said that working together as friends has elevated their relationship and provided advantages for their business. <h2 id="be0a5052-7c57-40ad-91a9-166f00f692d9">Working as friends has streamlined communication</h2>The trio said they find it easier to discuss business decisions honestly because they are used to organically communicating with one another."We're each other's biggest fans, but we're also each other's biggest critics," Daniel Andrews said. "So we could take really intense feedback incredibly well, and we're able to turn things that might come off as a little bit rude into something more constructive because we can read between the lines, having just been knowing each other so long.""We've been able to operate significantly faster and be honest with each other because we have that initial layer and unconditional love for each other," Reiss added.Spending so much time together has also proven to be a business boon."I've been living with Sasha for four years, and it's pretty much a 24-hour cycle of hanging out minus sleep," Josh Andrews said. "But it's created a really good feedback loop where we take work home, but we also know how to have that separation when we leave the office."Reiss said that having an aligned schedule has also helped the three get "ideas flowing naturally" outside an office setting."I think a lot of our best ideas were made maybe at a bar getting a drink, or at a restaurant just getting dinner, and you're not even thinking about work — and I think that's a big reason why we come up with a lot of novel ideas for our visits," Daniel Andrews said.He added that their "shared life experience" has made them more empathetic and understanding of each other."We have had a lot of family health issues over the last couple of years as we've been on this journey," he told BI. "Being a first-time founder, it is incredibly beneficial to work with friends and family who can step up and take on that work. The lowest points definitely feel a lot less low when you have these kinds of people around you."<h2 id="eeb845a6-cb5e-4c5a-9973-27ffeddff013">Pick friends wisely </h2>Working with friends also poses its own challenges."We have similar backgrounds in similar skill sets, and so intentionally seeking out hires that bring a diverse background that's very different than ours has been much more important for us," Daniel Andrews said.Being a part of the same friend group can also pose logistical roadblocks. The trio often get invites to the same holidays or events — sometimes resulting in an "out of office" from all three."We've definitely navigated that by having people stay behind; we'd be like, okay we can't all leave right now," Josh Andrews said.While the trio is enthusiastic about the concept of launching a company as friends, they agree it's only worthwhile if they bring out the best in each other."If you have friends that you find that are like slowing you down, or like trying to distract you, or other things, those might not be the best friends to launch a startup with," Daniel Andrews said."But there are those friends who are always pushing me to run harder, do that extra like hike, run that mile faster."Those are the people that you really want to engage and work on something with. And I think selectively picking up friends who are available and those who are trying to push you to be better is the correct path forward," he added.

What it's like to launch a startup with friends, according to 3 Gen Z cofounders who created a childcare startup together

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has backed at least three spatial intelligence startups this year.</li><li>Spatial intelligence uses AI-powered robots to navigate freely within their environment.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/jeff-bezos">Jeff Bezos</a> is joining a slew of top-tier investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and Khosla Ventures, by backing companies that are building <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vcs-like-khosla-and-a16z-backing-robotics-that-use-ai-2024-7">robots capable of advanced reasoning</a> and processing visual data.Bezos joined ChatGPT creator OpenAI in backing AI robotics startup Physical Intelligence in its $400 million funding round which was announced in early November, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/04/business/dealbook/physical-intelligence-robot-ai.html">The New York Times reported</a>. The startup <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-invests-ai-robots-startup-physical-intelligence-2024-11">develops large-scale AI models</a> with the goal of bringing general-purpose AI into the physical world.An offshoot of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-power-list-2024">booming AI sector</a>, these so-called "spatial intelligence" startups are developing tech that allows robots to navigate and interact with their environment more freely. These robots could take over dangerous or labor-intensive tasks in industries including logistics, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-bring-ai-robots-to-hospital-2024-10">healthcare,</a> manufacturing, or construction.VCs see AI robotics as a way to automate fields impacted by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-power-list-2024">labor shortages</a> and rising costs, and startups in the space are building robots that can engage in decision-making and adapt on the fly — a big update from past machines.Traditional robotics, for example, would require multiple, individually programmed machines to complete various aspects of a task, and they would have trouble if something went wrong along the way.A spatially intelligent robot, however, could be programmed in plain language rather than in code to complete a task. The machine would then interpret the request, teach itself to complete the task and troubleshoot any issues.Physical Intelligence is at least the third spatial intelligence startup Bezos has backed this year, according to PitchBook. BI has compiled a list of each startup in the space that Bezos and his family office, Bezos Expeditions, have invested in.<h2 id="2c9b38e8-b5fa-4a05-8443-6629bc110757">Physical Intelligence</h2>Physical Intelligence is developing large-scale AI models to power robots and make them more common in everyday life. Bezos participated in the startup's $400 million funding round in November 2024, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/04/business/dealbook/physical-intelligence-robot-ai.html">according to the New York Times</a>. The round values the company at $2.4 billion.<h2 id="2ba78ce7-aa8f-4717-8356-e9914923221e">Swiss-Mile</h2>Swiss-Mile is building wheeled robots that use AI to collect data and complete security, monitoring, construction, and logistics tasks. Bezos Expeditions co-led the startup's $22 million seed funding round in August 2024.<h2 id="fe799ff5-9d88-49b8-b385-e93238bec577">Figure AI</h2>Figure AI <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-bets-big-on-humanoid-robots-with-figure-ai-2024-2">builds AI robots</a> that can take over unsafe jobs from humans. Bezos Expeditions participated in the startup's $675 million Series B funding round in February 2024.<h2 id="fb6f4c9c-800e-4ed7-b0a4-269e017b8b3d">Deep Sentinel</h2>Deep Sentinel builds home security cameras that use AI to live-analyze videos and detect threats in real time. Bezos invested in an undisclosed funding round in 2021, while Bezos Expeditions invested in its $24 million Series A funding round in 2020.<h2 id="38b4a7c3-1836-4c3c-a117-1d7c464260b1">Fathom Radiant</h2>Fathom Radiant builds computer hardware that is used in AI development. Bezos invested in a $2.27 million funding round in 2020.<h2 id="024291ea-37ec-4a63-a289-9c6cae65bac9">Rethink Robotics</h2>Rethink Robotics builds robots that use AI to take on boring, dirty, and dangerous manufacturing jobs. The startup was acquired by HAHN Group in 2020. Bezos Expeditions invested in the startup's $30 million Series E in 2017, $40 million Series D in 2015, $30 million Series C in 2012, $20 million Series B in 2010, $7 million Series A1 in 2009, and $5 million Series A in 2008.

Jeff Bezos just made his latest bet in the AI robotics space. Here are the 6 startups he's backed so far.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-employees-brace-for-back-to-back-rounds-of-layoffs-2023-10"></a><ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Halfway to the weekend! Don't sweat it if you're fed up trying to find the one. Users of the dating app Tinder can now let friends and family <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tinder-matchmaker-feature-lets-friends-family-recommend-potential-matches-dating-2023-10">recommend potential matches</a>, meaning you can blame them for your bad dates. In today's big story, we're looking at why startups that have navigated multiple rounds of layoffs have left their <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-employees-brace-for-back-to-back-rounds-of-layoffs-2023-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">workers feeling defeated</a>.What's on deck: <ul><li>Markets: JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon isn't impressed with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jamie-dimon-jpmorgan-outlook-wall-street-central-bank-economy-recession-2023-10">central bankers' forecasting abilities</a>.</li><li>Tech: Creating an "Amazon of real estate" with tech could <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/buying-a-home-house-too-complicated-amazon-real-estate-market-2023-10">fix home-buying</a>.</li><li>Business: Planet Fitness' ex-CEO's <a href="https://businessinsider.com/planet-fitness-ceo-chris-rondeau-cash-keg-alcohol-2023-10">hard-partying ways</a> raised eyebrows among some staff.</li></ul>But first, I just put something on your calendar.<h3>The big story</h3><h2>Lamenting layoffs<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today"></a></h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-employees-brace-for-back-to-back-rounds-of-layoffs-2023-10"></a><div type="image" title="A young office worker holding a box of his personal belongings standing by a red emergency exit door with a trail of money flowing out behind him on a green background" height="1440" width="1920" msid="104705804" hostid="261" sizebytes="66008"></div>"Am I next to go?"It's a question more and more startup employees are contemplating amid a historic downturn in the industry coupled with a pullback in VC funding.Concerns over job security have always lingered in the high-risk world of startups. But as Insider's Samantha Stokes and Madeline Renbarger detail, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-employees-brace-for-back-to-back-rounds-of-layoffs-2023-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">employees are on edge nowadays</a> because of the threat of multiple layoffs in a short time. Instead of feeling relieved after surviving a round of job cuts, employees wonder when the next headcount reduction will occur. The process has left employees feeling demoralized and stressed, with some telling Samantha and Madeline they've lost confidence and faith in leadership.It's worth noting that startups have always had a risk-reward aspect, even if it didn't feel that way for a long time.For every successful startup, countless ones have failed. But seemingly endless venture funding and eye-popping valuations over the past decade, especially in the wake of the pandemic, made it easy to dismiss the risks. Why work for a corporate entity and be a cog in the wheel when you can get hands-on experience at a startup? (And make a ton of money along the way.)<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-employees-brace-for-back-to-back-rounds-of-layoffs-2023-10"></a><div type="image" title="A GIF of an arm holding a box of stuff, multiplying" height="600" width="1200" msid="104705805" hostid="261" sizebytes="49200"></div>But just because layoffs are a necessary evil of the startup industry, that doesn't mean employees' concerns aren't warranted. Samantha told me one issue raised by sources was the uncertainty around how different layoffs were conducted. Severance packages sometimes varied between rounds of layoffs, causing further confusion and fear. Another issue was the need for more transparency. Founders' positive outlooks in the midst of multiple layoffs were offputting to employees who just wanted to be treated like adults, Samantha told me. I understand the importance of a leader putting on a brave face for the troops and avoiding information overload, but keeping workers in the complete dark comes with its own risks. Startup employees often go on to start their own companies, so it'll be interesting to see how these experiences shape the next generation of companies. Future founders could take a more transparent approach to management. Or it could just mean startups conduct deeper cuts initially to avoid more layoffs in the short term.<h2>3 things in markets</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jamie-dimon-jpmorgan-outlook-wall-street-central-bank-economy-recession-2023-10"></a><div type="image" title="Jamie Damon with photographers behind him" height="650" width="1300" msid="104705807" hostid="261" sizebytes="64900"></div><ol><li> Jamie Dimon points the finger at central banks. The JPMorgan CEO said at a conference that central bankers were "100% dead wrong" with their forecasts 18 months ago. Going forward, he recommended preparing for "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jamie-dimon-jpmorgan-outlook-wall-street-central-bank-economy-recession-2023-10">possibilities and probabilities</a>" versus "calling one course of action."</li><li> The big money in building EV charging stations. The adoption of commercial electric vehicles means a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-investors-ev-truck-electric-charging-stations-2023-10">huge opportunity for real-estate investors</a> to build charging stations. Prologis, the $100 billion owner of industrial and logistical properties, has already reached a deal to build one such station in Southern California.</li><li>David Rosenberg warned investors not to repeat their mistakes before the 2008 financial crisis. The famed economist compared current predictions of a soft landing to the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/market-economy-outlook-recession-2008-housing-crash-financial-crisis-rosenberg-2023-10">investor complacency ahead of the 2008 crash</a>. "I am willing to acknowledge that the recession has been delayed. But it has not been derailed," he wrote in a recent memo.</li></ol><h2>3 things in tech</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/buying-a-home-house-too-complicated-amazon-real-estate-market-2023-10"></a><div type="image" title="Among a tangle of jungle plants and vines, a lane of houses appears, with eager real estate agents stand in front of the doorways. And the lane narrows, the horizons depicts the houses fragmenting, a lone orange house surviving in the large expanse of a starry night sky." height="960" width="1920" msid="104705809" hostid="261" sizebytes="477294"></div><ol><li> Why buying a home is still so complicated. Today's house hunters don't just face an inventory shortage and rising mortgage rates. With so many startups trying to update various parts of the process for the digital age, buying a home has actually <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/buying-a-home-house-too-complicated-amazon-real-estate-market-2023-10">gotten more complicated</a>.</li><li> In the age of AI, the new luxury item will be humans. You can buy an overwhelming variety of items online. This abundance has taken much of the satisfaction away from purchasing physical things. This is why experiences, which by definition are finite, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-artificial-intelligence-new-luxury-item-will-be-humans-2023-10">became more valuable</a>.</li><li>Microsoft just shut down an "industrial metaverse" project. Project Airism was the company's AI-based drone simulation software. But Microsoft confirmed that it's discontinuing the project in December. And employees were told on Monday that the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-shutters-project-airsim-ai-strategy-openai-2023-10">whole team would be laid off</a>, according to a person familiar with the matter.</li></ol><h2>3 things in business</h2><a href="https://businessinsider.com/planet-fitness-ceo-chris-rondeau-cash-keg-alcohol-2023-10"></a><div type="image" title="Disgraced Planet Fitness CEO gestures upward with his right hand, his eyes jubilant. A falling white arrow crosses his chest. Next to him are two yellow starbursts. One shows a stack of one hundred dollar bills. The other is a keg with red solo cups faced on top." height="1440" width="1920" msid="104705811" hostid="261" sizebytes="252030"></div><ol><li> Planet Fitness CEO firing remains a mystery, but former employees say his behavior raised some eyebrows. Chris Rondeau claims he was "seriously blindsided" by his ouster. But ex-staff say he kept a keg in his office and would have assistants <a href="https://businessinsider.com/planet-fitness-ceo-chris-rondeau-cash-keg-alcohol-2023-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">withdraw thousands in cash</a> from his personal bank accounts for travel.</li><li> How Snap lost its chance at becoming an advertising giant. Snap's ad business makes up almost all of its revenue. But it's been losing a steady stream of advertisers to TikTok. Plus, it still hasn't fully recovered from Apple's privacy feature. So, its ad business has some <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/snap-advertising-struggle-2023-10">major hurdles to overcome</a>.</li><li>It's hard to know how much Uber and Lyft drivers are paid. Different pay calculations, car expenses, and customer tips can produce a wide range of driver incomes. Their hourly pay can be <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-uber-lyft-drivers-make-per-ride-2023-10">as low as $9 or as high as $40</a> — depending on who's calculating.</li></ol><h2>In other news</h2><ul><li>How Baltimore PD's tactics in handling convicted sex offender Jason Billingsley may have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/baltimore-police-jason-billingsley-sex-offender-fugitive-psychology-2023-10">enabled him to kill a tech CEO</a>.</li><li>Court documents reveal <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/off-duty-pilot-charged-alaska-airlines-court-documents-2023-10">an even weirder story</a> of the off-duty pilot who attempted to turn off a plane's engine mid-flight.</li><li>Why IPAs are about to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hops-beer-ipa-price-climate-change-weather-2023-10">get more expensive</a>.</li><li>"Scary Fest" — Apple just announced an event for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-mac-event-october-scary-fast-2023-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the day before Halloween</a>.</li><li>New York City has lost 100,000 apartments because rich neighborhoods keep <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-city-losing-rental-housing-crisis-combine-apartments-2023-10">combining units</a>.</li><li>Google is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-sales-team-focus-mid-size-advertisers-performance-max-ai-2023-10">shaking up its sales strategy</a>.</li></ul><h2>What's happening today</h2><ul><li>Happy World Pasta Day! The observance is meant to highlight how pasta is a healthy, sustainable food.</li><li>Level up — it's Ciara's birthday. Katy Perry and Pablo Picasso were also born on this day.</li><li>Earnings today: IBM, Boeing, T-Mobile, Meta, Mattel, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/earnings-calendar">and other companies</a>.</li></ul><h3>For your bookmarks</h3><h2>Trader Joe's frozen meals</h2><a href="https://www.insider.com/best-cheap-trader-joes-frozen-meals-2023-10"></a><div type="image" title="basket of trader joes frozen meals" height="975" width="1300" msid="104705813" hostid="261" sizebytes="204312"></div>Favorite frozen Trader Joe's meals — each under $6. The meals are a cheaper alternative to takeout. This reporter is particularly fond of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-cheap-trader-joes-frozen-meals-2023-10">mushroom ravioli and mini chicken tacos</a>.The Insider Today team: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/dan-defrancesco">Dan DeFrancesco</a>, senior editor and anchor, in New York City. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/diamond-naga-siu">Diamond Naga Siu</a>, senior reporter, in San Diego. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/hallam-bullock">Hallam Bullock</a>, editor, in London. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/lisa-ryan">Lisa Ryan</a>, executive editor, in New York.

Startup workers are on edge

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vcs-brace-for-lower-valuations-startups-can-win-new-talent-2022-2">cooler environment for venture-backed startups</a> is causing belt-tightening across tech sectors.</li><li>After a huge 2021, <keyword id="11894138" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="supply-chain" source="Orion">supply chain</keyword> tech funding is slowing this year, according to Pitch Book data.</li></ul>Rounds are shrinking and valuations are waning, but supply chains remain challenged. The problem may be shifting from inventory shortage to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/us-wholesale-inventories-unrevised-march-2022-05-09/">inventory glut</a>, but the pressure to keep service up and costs down is still high as ever. 2021 was a banner year for supply chain tech. <keyword id="6362513" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="startups" source="Orion">Startups</keyword> across supply chain management, freight tech, warehouse tech, and last-mile delivery raked in $64 billion, according to Pitchbook. As of May 9 this year, supply chain tech has raised $17 billion — roughly 27% of last year's funding total and 35% of the way through 2022. That means supply chain tech venture funding in 2022 is currently pacing to land somewhere above 2020's $38 billion, but below 2021's $64 billion. Charley Dehoney vice president of Xebox, a tech accelerator founded by the CEO of ocean shipping giant CMA CGM, told Insider business-to-business tech is maintaining investor confidence better than consumer tech. "I'm definitely seeing that rounds are still coming together — mostly the premium startups that have high quality growth numbers and really good adoption. They're still getting funded at valuations 65% what they were three or four months ago," Dehoney said. Supply chain-related startups told Insider that investors have increasingly focused on unit economics toward the second half of last year — especially for companies actually moving goods. "Investors care a lot right now about unit economics for businesses like this, where historically there's been there have been companies that have raised a lot of money that haven't necessarily built a sustainable business model," Eric Wimer, founder and CEO of reverse <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/9-reverse-logistics-startups-raising-funds-to-tackle-ecommerce-returns-2022-1">logistics startup Returnmates told Insider</a> in January. Returns pickup, which Wimer champions, may be under increased scrutiny due to a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ecommerce-r">spotty history.</a> But even <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/e-commerce-logistics-startups-threatening-ups-fedex-duopoly-2021-9">last mile delivery startups</a>, which have traditionally received more funding than any other segment of supply chain tech, are on alert. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/last-mile-delivery-startup-veho-series-b-2022-2">Veho founder Itamur Zur told Insider </a>in February that the company's unit economics were as important to investors in its $170 million Series B round as its expansive vision for the future of e-commerce. Last-mile startups continue to draw the most backing from venture investors, but their share of total supply chain investment is dwindling. Here are five pitch decks supply chain tech startups used to win over investors in the last year. <ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/shipium-series-b-amazon-logistics-alumni-pitch-deck-2022-4">Check out the 10-slide pitch deck 2 Amazon alumni created to reel in a $27.5 million Series A round for Shipium, an e-commerce logistics startup</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/suppl-chain-startup-pitch-deck-landed-tive-54-million-2022-4">Here's the 13-page pitch deck the supply-chain-tech startup Tive used to raise its $54 million Series B</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-the-pitch-deck-that-landed-exotec-335-million-2022-3">Here's the 14-page pitch deck warehouse robotics startup Exotec used to raise a $335 million Series D</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-the-pitch-deck-that-landed-tealbook-50-million-2021-12">Here's the 9-page pitch deck supply-chain-data startup Tealbook used to raise its $50 million Series B</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pitch-deck-delivery-logistics-unicorn-bringg-2021-7">Here's the pitch deck that Salesforce-backed logistics unicorn Bringg used to raise its $100 million Series E round</a></li></ul>

Tech funding may be slowing, but VCs are still sweet on supply chain tech. Here are 5 pitch decks that won over investors in the last year.

<ul><li>The <keyword id="12059493" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ev-logistics-company" source="Orion">EV logistics company</keyword> is set to hire and train 3,000 women as delivery partners by the end of 2022.</li><li>The company will be expanding its driver partner workforce from 3,000 to 6,000 this year.</li><li>It further says that it is also working on a long term goal to have at least 50% of the total employee strength to be women.</li></ul><keyword id="10064444" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zypp-electric" source="Orion">Zypp Electric</keyword>, which is a Gurugram-based tech-enabled electric vehicle (EV)-as-a-Service platform, announced its plans to hire and train 3,000 women as delivery partners by the end of 2022. The EV logistics company will be expanding its driver partner workforce from 3,000 to 6,000 this year. The new delivery partners will help the company to empower and enhance sustainable delivery capabilities, the company hopes. “Being a working woman for 16 years now, I understand the importance of financial independence. Through Zypp, I have created a domain for myself and I aim to create similar opportunities for women across in this sunrise sector. I believe that only an inclusive future is a sustainable future in any sector…,” said Rashi Agarwal, cofounder and chief business officer at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/this-ev-startup-mobycy-went-from-solving-last-mile-commute-to-delivery/articleshow/82513392.cms">Zypp Electric</a>. The company claims that they keep priority of its <keyword id="7170604" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="women-delivery-partners" source="Orion">women delivery partners</keyword> towards other roles and responsibilities by giving them desired and flexible working shifts along with fair financial aid. It further says that it is also working on a long term goal to have at least 50% of the total employee strength to be women. According to an ASSOCHAM report, which came out in January 2020, India's gig economy is projected to grow to $455 billion by 2023. Zypp Electric raised around $7 million in a Series A round funding from 9unicorns and Anthill Ventures last year in September. The company has so far raised $12.5 million. Founded in 2017, the company claims that it is on a mission to make India carbon-free by using an ecosystem of electric Vehicles and EV-based technology to make last-mile logistics sustainable and emission-free. Its business model is to make carbon-free last-mile delivery for local merchants to e-commerce giants to delivery executives and thereby reduce delivery cost and pollution on an asset-light model. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/tcs-is-hiring-mba-grads-to-join-their-workforce-in-fy-2022-23/articleshow/90072186.cms">TCS is hiring MBA grads to join their workforce in FY 2022-23</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/women-hold-only-17-1-percent-of-the-boardroom-seats-in-indian-companies/slidelist/90069340.cms">Women hold only 17.1 percent of the boardroom seats in Indian companies</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/indias-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-says-she-expects-the-central-bank-to-roll-out-the-countrys-digital-currency-this-year/articleshow/90074661.cms">India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says she expects the central bank to roll out the country’s digital currency this year</a>

Delivery startup Zypp Electric to hire 3,000 women delivery partners in 2022

<ul class="summary-list"><li>One Arizona man was tired of taking the trash out from the house to the curb.</li><li>He started Can Monkey, which appeals to Airbnb hosts wanting to spare guests from checkout chores. </li></ul>Marc Zagoury was sick of forgetting to put his trash on the curb and bickering with family over whose turn it was to take out the bins.Zagoury, who lived in Scottsdale, Arizona, outside Phoenix, discovered his neighbors were similarly fed up with the chore.In 2018, he founded a startup called Can Monkey, which allows homeowners or property managers to outsource a simple task: wheeling out full cans for pickup on the correct day, and then taking them back inside when empty.Can Monkey initially served about 100 properties in the Scottsdale area. Then, in 2019, Zagoury's cofounder Alex Shapiro overheard a friend who ran an Airbnb complain about the logistics of taking out the trash at three different properties."I'd pay someone $100 a month to take care of it for me," the friend said, according to Shapiro.Today, Can Monkey takes out the trash for more than 7,000 properties in 18 cities from Miami to San Diego. The company estimates that over 80% of the homes are Airbnbs or other short-term rentals.Some Airbnb guests have protested loudly that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travelers-slam-airbnb-chore-lists-mow-lawn-laundry-cleaning-fees-2022-9">cleaning fees are too high and the chores</a> some hosts request upon checkout are too onerous. Some hosts have responded to the criticisms by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-cleaning-fees-added-total-price-search-results-after-complaints-2022-11">getting rid of cleaning fees</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-host-does-not-make-guests-do-chores-gets-bookings-2023-11">chores</a>. Can Monkey's offer to take out the trash so that guests and hosts don't have to especially helps people who may manage their rental properties from afar or as a side hustle to their day jobs. For $49 a month, it's one less stressor for short-term rental property owners or managers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-vrbo-summer-headaches-of-hosting-worth-it-2023-8">in an increasingly competitive business.</a>Shapiro said hosts have called Can Monkey's services a "godsend.""The two biggest issues for guests are 'What's the Wi-Fi password?' and 'When do we take out the trash?'" Shapiro told Business Insider. "We're able to take away one of those main issues."<h2>Can Monkey works like DoorDash for trash</h2><div type="image" title="A Can Monkey runner walks an empty trash bin back up the driveway" height="179" width="320" msid="106599688" hostid="261" sizebytes="7686"></div>For $49 a month, Can Monkey customers are guaranteed to have their bins picked up and returned on time and in accordance with local schedules.Users download the Can Monkey app and can write in custom instructions for their trash taker-outer, called a runner. The company currently has 500 active runners.Runners function much like Doordash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub drivers, Shapiro said. They log into the app whenever they want to pick up some hours, and Can Monkey presents them with a route that, for example, will take an hour to complete and pay out $40. Runners can choose to do as many routes as they want in their area.Shapiro said many drivers pick up Can Monkey routes during off-hours from their other gig-worker jobs. Take noon to 4 p.m., when lunchtime food deliveries wind down but rush hour for rideshares hasn't started.<h2>Finding Airbnb-host customers on Facebook</h2><div type="image" title="A Can Monkey branded trash bin" height="211" width="320" msid="106599689" hostid="261" sizebytes="7632"></div>Can Monkey has found customers by starting Facebook groups for Airbnb hosts and owners. Members use the forums to seek advice, like how to find good cleaning services, or share problems, like how to deal with a guest who damages property.Shapiro said he used to get kicked out of other Facebook groups for Airbnb hosts because he posted about Can Monkey, so he started his own. Now, one of the groups has grown to over 12,000 members.Since its founding, Can Monkey has expanded into 18 different markets including Miami, Austin, Denver, and San Diego. Shapiro says its busiest markets are its original base of Scottsdale and Orlando, which both attract travelers year-round.It's been a learning curve handling the large trash pickups generated by bachelor and bachelorette parties in Nashville, Shapiro added.Can Monkey runners have seen guests throw out brand-new suitcases, expensive pool floats, and barely-used elaborate party decorations, he said."There could be a whole other business buying and reselling the stuff guests leave behind in Airbnbs," Shapiro said.

Airbnb hosts are happily paying this startup $49 a month to take out the trash       

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Challengers to UPS and FedEx are raising funding and joining forces to satiate overwhelming delivery demand.</li><li>Sign up for our event on November 10 at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT) with panelists from ShipHero, the Frontdoor Collective, and Playground Global. </li></ul>The pandemic exploded e-commerce and absorbed every inch of existing delivery capacity, forcing every last-mile delivery player to rethink their strategy. The deluge of packages brought about strong reactions from incumbent players. New UPS CEO Carol Tomé decided to focus on margin proclaiming a "better, not bigger" philosophy. FedEx has seen a downturn in delivery performance while executives claim they're trying to pick up the slack. And USPS is intentionally slowing down service to save on cost and up reliability. Over the last 18 months, energy, talent, and investor dollars have flooded into the delivery sector where new entrants are reimagining how packages are delivered and challenging entrenched incumbents. Please join our senior reporter Emma Cosgrove and execs from ShipHero, the Frontdoor Collective, and Playground Global for a conversation about the future of e-commerce <keyword id="11898399" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="logistics" source="Orion">logistics</keyword> and how innovators are rethinking the last mile. The hour-long chat is scheduled for November 10 at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT).<h2>Meet our panelists:</h2><ul><li>Penelope Register-Shaw is the Chief Strategy Officer of The Frontdoor Collective </li><li>Aaron Rubin is CEO of ShipHero</li><li>Victoria Sun is a Principal at Playground Global</li></ul><h2>Topics to be discussed include: </h2><ul><li>New entrants in last-mile delivery</li><li>Why are e-commerce companies looking for alternatives to FedEx, UPS, and USPS</li><li>How M&amp;A in the space will change the dynamics on the ground</li><li>How the holiday <keyword id="11921983" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="shipping" source="Orion">shipping</keyword> season is looking so far in terms of delivery capacity </li><li>What smart companies are doing to make sure they get enough fast delivery capacity </li><li>How fast is fast enough? </li></ul>The experts will also be taking audience questions live.<h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/webinar-last-mile-ecommerce-logistics-fex-ups-2021-10">You can sign up here.</a></h2>

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