6d bytes is a technology company.
6d bytes is a technology company.
6d bytes has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round.
6d bytes has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
6d bytes has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
6d bytes's investors include Benhamou Global Ventures, Partech Ventures, Greg Kidd, Larry Braitman, Lawrence Braitman.
6d bytes inc., doing business as Blendid, is a deeptech startup developing robotic and AI-enabled food automation solutions. The company's flagship product is the Blendid® kiosk, a fully autonomous 8'x8' robotic station that prepares and serves customizable fresh smoothies on-demand using machine vision, AI, and robotics, without human intervention.[1][3][5][7] It targets food service operators in venues like corporate cafeterias, college campuses, supermarkets, health clubs, shopping malls, hospitals, travel stops, airports, and stadiums, solving labor shortages, enabling 24/7 operation, and delivering healthy, personalized meals with quick preparation (under 2 minutes).[1][5][6][7] Deployments include 2 wholly owned kiosks and 6 licensed ones across California, Georgia, and Florida, with NSF certification, 6 granted USPTO patents, 8 pending patents, and 3 trademarks supporting scalability.[7] With around 14-15 US-based full-time employees and offshore development, the company has raised under $5 million in funding, including venture capital and crowdfunding.[1][4][5]
Founded on November 16, 2015, in Delaware and registered in California, 6d bytes emerged from the vision of co-founders CEO Vipin Jain and Venki Ayalur, who spent three years in stealth developing the Blendid platform.[1][5][6] Jain, emphasizing the need for better on-the-go food experiences and operator economics, drew from trends like McKinsey's prediction of 73% food service automation by 2030.[6] The idea crystallized around robotics, AI, and machine vision to disrupt quick-service food prep, starting with smoothies using fresh ingredients like mango, spinach, and kefir via app or tablet customization.[5][6] Early traction hit with the first kiosk at Plug and Play Tech Center in Sunnyvale, CA, backed by investors like Benhamou Global Ventures, validating the contactless model's potential amid rising demand for healthy, staff-free solutions.[5][6]
6d bytes rides the robotics-AI automation wave in food service, addressing labor shortages, rising healthy eating demand, and 24/7 operations amid McKinsey's forecast for 73% industry automation by 2030.[6] Timing aligns with post-pandemic contactless preferences and quick-service evolution, targeting 80,000 US locations like cafeterias and gyms where human staffing limits hours/profitability.[5][6] Favorable market forces include declining robotics costs and AI advances in vision/machine learning, enabling competition with established chains via cost savings and consistency.[1][5] The company influences the ecosystem by pioneering deeptech for F&B, inspiring startups in automated prep and proving scalable kiosks can transform operator economics and consumer access to fresh food.[3][6]
Next for 6d bytes: aggressive kiosk scaling and platform expansion into soups, salads, and diverse cuisines, leveraging current deployments and IP to capture quick-service market share.[1][5][7] Trends like AI-robotics maturation, labor inflation, and health-focused eating will accelerate adoption, potentially boosting from 8 kiosks to widespread licensing.[6] Influence may evolve from niche innovator to F&B automation leader if execution matches ambition, especially with Plug and Play validation and investor backing—watch for revenue ramps and new venue wins to signal breakout momentum.[5][6] This positions Blendid as a blueprint for labor-free, personalized food tech.
6d bytes has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Seed in June 2017.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2017 | $3.0M Seed | Benhamou Global Ventures, Partech Ventures, Greg Kidd, Larry Braitman, Lawrence Braitman |