Shanghai Hi-Dolphin's Cofe+ Robot Café Completes Series A Funding Round with Leading Investors

/EIN News/ -- Shanghai , April 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The artificial intelligence company in the coffee industry, "Shanghai Hi-Dolphin Robot Technology Co., Ltd.," has officially announced the completion of its Series A funding round, led by renowned investor Yu Fangbiao. Yu Fangbiao has previously invested in angel rounds or Series A of over 10 technology companies, with four of them listed on the Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) or the Science and Technology Innovation Board (STAR Market), and one company currently in the process of listing. His high success rate in investment projects is rare in the Chinese venture capital industry. This marks the first time Hi-Dolphin has initiated a Series A funding round since completing two pre-A rounds within a week in August 2021, setting a record for the fastest funding in the industry.

Shanghai Hi-Dolphin Robot Technology Co., Ltd. has developed a series of AI products called Cofe+, including the fully intelligent Robot Café, Robot Café Bar, Robot Coffee Counter, and Street Corner Robot Coffee Shop. It is the world's first Robot café that achieves the taste of a master-level beverage. The complete product line covers various application scenarios. It replicates 100% of the craftsmanship of champion baristas and delivers a taste that is on par with internationally renowned coffee brands, while reducing costs by up to 90%. It has won numerous domestic and international awards and holds over 70 patents at home and abroad. Currently, it has been iteratively upgraded to the most advanced fifth generation globally.

After undergoing strict evaluation and assessment by the Food Safety Expert Group of the China Market Supervision Administration for one year, COFE+ has become one of the first Robot Cafés in China to obtain a fresh food retail license. It is also the first Robot Café in China to receive top European awards, American awards, and global quality certifications such as FDA/FCC in the United States, CE in the European Union, and UK Commonwealth, and the first Robot Café to be exported to dozens of developed countries in Europe, America, Australia, and the Middle East. Since 2018, COFE+ Robot Café has been operational in over a hundred different scenarios, including government institutions, hospitals, universities, airports, train stations, shopping malls, and tourist attractions, making it the most widely deployed, highest market share, longest operating time, and most reliable in stability testing Robot Café with successful validation in multiple scenarios. With its "champion quality, affordable price, and 24-hour service," it has received widespread acclaim from consumers.

Currently, Cofe+ Robot Café leads the industry and has been exported to dozens of developed countries such as the United States, Canada, Europe, Oceania, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, as well as central units and 15 provinces and cities in China. It has been deployed in various locations, from Fortune Global 500 companies, China's Top 500 companies to Shanghai's Top 500 companies, from Germany's SAP, American shopping centers, Australia's Gold Coast, Middle Eastern amusement parks to Southeast Asian entertainment cities, from Pinduoduo, Accenture to Shanghai TV Station's office building, from the Terracotta Warriors, Shanghai Bund, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, Yungang Grottoes, Fayans Temple, ancient city walls to botanical gardens, from Bailian Shopping Mall, Qingpu Outlets, Dragon Dream Shopping Center to Wanda Plaza, and from the National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference sessions, Central Party School, Sichuan Government, Shanxi Government, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongji University to Tongren Hospital, and from libraries, art galleries to museums... The beautiful figure of the fully intelligent Cofe+ Robot Café serving humans diligently can be seen everywhere. Cofe+ has also collaborated with leading companies such as Amazon, Thales, SAP, Sinopec, iFLYTEK, Bank of Communications, Orient International, Donghao Lansheng, and Bailian Group.

Only a few countries and a handful of companies worldwide have the capability to develop Robot cafés. Established in 2018, Shanghai Hi-Dolphin is a well-known AI and Internet+ leading enterprise in Shanghai. It is also a postdoctoral research station and a highly regarded high-tech company in the industry. National leaders, the Mayor of Shanghai, the Chairman of the National People's Congress, the Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, and Deputy Mayors in charge have all visited and provided guidance. For four consecutive years, Hi-Dolphin has been invited to showcase the integration of artificial intelligence into daily life at the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and it is widely used by Fortune Global 500 and China's Top 500 companies. Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, CCTV, Wall Street media, and Japanese media have all featured this hidden champion in the niche industry.

The angel round investment in Hi-Dolphin Technology was self-funded by the founding team. The core team members graduated from prestigious universities such as Fudan, University of Science and Technology of China, Harbin Institute of Technology, Tongji University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and universities in Europe and America. They have previously worked for renowned multinational companies such as Huawei, Sany Heavy Industry, KUKA Robotics, and Dachangxing. With extensive experience in scientific research, operations, and practical fieldwork, the team possesses a genetic makeup and rich experience in the Internet, artificial intelligence, and chain service industry. They are one of the earliest research and development teams in the world engaged in robot coffee kiosks, robot dessert shops, service robots, and cleaning robots, demonstrating their formidable strength.

Cofe+ has creatively developed and achieved several firsts in China and the world: a fully intelligent store management system with comprehensive software and hardware, ready to operate upon power connection, and intelligent energy-saving and emission reduction throughout the day. Occupying an area of 2.3 square meters, it can provide two types of coffee beans, two cup sizes, dual milk options, and three choices of cold/hot/iced beverages. It offers customizable options for strength, temperature, sweetness, ice level, and weight. It can not only freshly grind coffee but also create over 50 flavors of Western-style milk tea, Japanese matcha, and chocolate beverages. It takes an average of around 50 seconds to make one cup, and it can simultaneously produce 5 cups in parallel, which is remarkable in the industry. It features fully intelligent disinfection and cleaning, automatic production, and operates 24 hours a day. With one refill, it can continuously make 200-300 cups of fresh drinks, requiring only 15-30 minutes of maintenance and replenishment per day. One employee can manage 5-10 robot coffee kiosks, resulting in a significant 90% reduction in daily operational costs. With a premium coffee priced at 9.9 yuan per cup, it achieves a high gross profit margin of 50%, demonstrating overwhelming efficiency and remarkable benefits.

"24-hour professional coffee shops that never close," "the trendy boutique coffee shops of the next decade," "the next generation of unmanned coffee shops," "chain coffee shops that can be set up effortlessly," "the new generation of profitable coffee shops," "the world's first lightweight stores"... Cofe+ Robot Café, as a representative of the new economy, new species, and new model, greatly reduces the labor, rent, energy, and maintenance costs of traditional physical coffee shops. It solves the curses of poor management, inconsistent quality, irregular staff, difficult site selection and relocation, short business hours, and scarce prime locations. It liberates humanity, expands productivity, promotes environmental protection, and embodies complete disruptive innovation, becoming a global new sensation.

Artificial intelligence, represented by Cofe+ Robot, is triggering the fifth industrial revolution, leading the global physical economy into a new era of "lightness." Robots serve humanity, robot coffee masters freshly grind coffee for humans, and robots work for free on behalf of owners, allowing humans to enjoy a happy life of "premium quality at affordable prices" 24/7. This revolutionary new era is dawning! In this sense, Cofe+ Robot's freshly ground coffee is not only renowned but also a milestone and even a world cup.

Amanda Yan
                    amanda.yan at hi-dolphin.com