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§ Private Profile · Camarillo, CA, USA
Zume is a technology company.
Zume has raised $423.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at Zume.
Zume was founded in 2015 by Julia Collins) (Co-Founder) and Alex Garden (Co-Founder).
Zume has raised $423.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Zume Inc. is a manufacturing technology company that designs and produces compostable molded fiber products, serving as a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics. The company utilizes advanced manufacturing processes to create packaging from plant fibers, addressing the pervasive environmental impact of conventional plastic materials. Its technical approach centers on scaling production of these economically viable and earth-friendly solutions.
Initially founded in 2015 by Alex Garden and Julia Collins as a robot-powered pizza delivery service, the company underwent a significant strategic pivot between 2019 and 2020. The core insight driving this shift was to repurpose their manufacturing capabilities and address the growing global problem of plastic waste. Garden, who previously held executive positions at Zynga and Microsoft, led this transition, refocusing the company's efforts entirely on developing and producing sustainable packaging.
The company aims to supply industries in need of eco-conscious packaging, providing a viable pathway away from traditional plastic use. Zume's long-term vision is to substantially reduce global plastic waste by making plant-fiber-based packaging solutions widely accessible and cost-effective across various sectors. The company strives to advance a more sustainable packaging ecosystem.
Zume has raised $423.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $375.0M Other Equity in November 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2018 | $375M Venture Round | Softbank | Neil Parikh | Announced |
| Oct 1, 2017 | $48M Series B | — | Accel, Ambridge Capital, Array Ventures, BITKRAFT Ventures, Catapult Capital, Dragoneer Investment Group, Eunoia Capital Partners, FJ Labs, Mayfield, Penny JAR Capital, Sapphire Ventures, Serena Ventures, Summit Partners, Team Builder Ventures, The Valley Fund, VSC Ventures, Gautam Shah, Oskar Hartmann, Paul George, SUE Bird, TIM Kendall | Announced |
# Zume: From Pizza Robots to Sustainable Packaging
Zume was a technology company that pivoted from food automation to sustainable packaging before shutting down in June 2023.[2] Founded in 2015, Zume initially aimed to revolutionize pizza delivery through robotic automation but evolved into a manufacturer of compostable, plant-fiber-based packaging solutions designed to replace single-use plastics for food, beverage, healthcare, and consumer packaged goods companies.[1][3] The company raised approximately $423–445 million across eight funding rounds and achieved unicorn status with a $2.25 billion valuation in 2018, backed primarily by SoftBank's $375 million investment.[2][3][5]
The core problem Zume addressed was the environmental impact of single-use plastic packaging. Rather than disrupting manufacturing processes or increasing costs, Zume offered global brands a complete tech stack—hardware, software, and services—to transition to sustainable alternatives.[1] However, despite significant capital and initial momentum, the company ultimately proved unable to achieve profitability and chose to liquidate its assets in 2023 rather than declare bankruptcy.[5]
Zume was founded in 2015 with an ambitious vision: automating the pizza industry through robotic technology.[2] In September 2016, the company delivered its first pizzas using a specially equipped van with 56 GPS-equipped automated ovens that timed cooking to complete shortly before delivery, with a self-cleaning robot cutter for slicing.[2] The company secured a patent on cooking during delivery, including algorithms to predict customer preferences, and raised $48 million in Series B funding by fall 2017.[2]
However, the core concept proved impractical. Baking pizzas in a moving vehicle created operational challenges, and customers complained about quality issues with robot-made pizzas, leading the company to shelve the idea.[2] By 2018, CEO Alex Garden announced a strategic pivot: Zume would shift toward sustainable food packaging and licensed its automation technology to other businesses.[2] In 2019, Zume acquired Pivot Packaging, a company specializing in plant-based packaging, and announced plans to build a 70,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Southern California.[5] By 2020, the company had sold its pizza technology business, laid off significant staff, and committed entirely to sustainable packaging.[5]
Zume rode the wave of two converging trends: the rise of food-tech automation and growing corporate sustainability mandates. In the mid-2010s, robotics and AI were seen as transformative forces across industries, and food delivery and preparation attracted significant venture capital attention.[5] Simultaneously, regulatory pressure and consumer demand for sustainable packaging created a genuine market opportunity.
The company's evolution reflected a broader pattern in startup development: initial product-market fit challenges forcing strategic pivots toward adjacent, potentially larger markets. While Zume's pizza automation concept captured headlines and investor enthusiasm, the sustainable packaging pivot positioned it within a more durable market trend—the global shift away from single-use plastics driven by environmental regulations and corporate ESG commitments.
However, Zume's failure also highlighted the challenges of scaling capital-intensive manufacturing businesses. Despite raising over $400 million and achieving unicorn valuation, the company could not achieve sustainable unit economics in packaging production, ultimately succumbing to insolvency.[5]
Zume's trajectory illustrates both the promise and peril of venture-backed hardware and manufacturing startups. The company identified real problems—pizza delivery inefficiency and plastic waste—and attracted world-class capital to solve them. Yet execution in physical manufacturing proved far more difficult than the venture model typically accommodates. The pivot to sustainable packaging was strategically sound, but the company lacked either the operational expertise or sufficient capital runway to reach profitability before investor patience and funding dried up.
Had Zume survived, it would likely have faced continued pressure from larger, established packaging manufacturers with existing supply chains and customer relationships. The sustainable packaging market, while growing, remains highly competitive and margin-constrained. Zume's shutdown in 2023 serves as a cautionary tale: even well-funded startups with compelling missions and significant investor backing can fail when capital intensity, manufacturing complexity, and market dynamics align unfavorably.
Key people at Zume.
Zume was founded in 2015 by Julia Collins) (Co-Founder) and Alex Garden (Co-Founder).
Zume has raised $423.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Zume's investors include SoftBank, Neil Parikh, Accel, Ambridge Capital, Array Ventures, BITKRAFT Ventures, Catapult Capital, Dragoneer Investment Group, Eunoia Capital Partners, FJ Labs, Mayfield, Penny Jar Capital.
