• Founded: 2015
• Ceased Operations: 2023

What did ZUme do?

Zume was an American manufacturing-technology company that developed and implemented an automated pizza-making process that used robots to prepare and bake pizzas during transit. They also developed and sold sustainable food-delivery boxes, licensed its automation technology to other food companies, and acquired a company that made plant-based packaging.

Zume raised a total of $765 million from investors over the course of its five-year history before shifting to food packaging and delivery logistics in 2020. Its largest investors were Initialized Capital, GV, First Round Capital, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and Andreessen Horowitz.

Who started Zume?

Zume was co-founded by Alex Garden and Julia Collins

Why did Zume go out of business?

Zume was burning through cash at a rapid pace. Zume was unable to generate enough revenue to offset its costs. Zume was also spending a lot of money on research and development, which was not generating a return on investment.

Zume was facing stiff competition from established food delivery companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash.

Zume also faced some internal challenges. Zume had a high turnover rate, and there were reports of conflicts between the company’s founders. These internal challenges made it difficult for Zume to execute its business plan and achieve its goals. Zume Pizza was shut down in June 2023.

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