Insider Brief
- Aniai raised $4 million from Korea Development Bank, bringing total funding to $19 million to expand automated grill technology for commercial kitchens.
- The company’s Alpha Grill system automates high-volume grill stations and is already operating in live U.S. restaurants, following broader adoption by major franchise brands in Asia.
- Aniai said the new capital will fund U.S. expansion, including supply chain readiness and expanded commercial and technical support for enterprise restaurant operators.
PRESS RELEASE — New York kitchen robotics company Aniai said it has raised $4 million from Korea Development Bank, bringing its total funding to $19 million as it scales automated cooking technology for commercial kitchens and restaurant chains.
The company develops robotic grilling systems designed to automate high-volume grill stations, an area of restaurant operations that has been hit hard by labor shortages and rising costs. Aniai said the new capital will be used to support U.S. expansion, including supply chain readiness and expanded commercial and technical support for restaurant customers.
Aniai’s core product, Alpha Grill, is an automated grill-station system capable of cooking multiple proteins and menu items simultaneously using sensor-driven temperature and pressure controls. The company said the system is already operating in live restaurant environments in the United States, following earlier deployments with large franchise brands in Asia.
The company has worked with enterprise quick-service restaurant brands through research and innovation centers to validate performance and operational fit, and said consistency and throughput gains are key drivers of adoption for multi-unit operators. Aniai said it plans to continue growing in Asia while prioritizing the U.S. market, where demand for kitchen automation remains strong.
Previous investors include InterVest, SV Investment, Capstone Partners, Ignite Innovation, and Lotte Ventures, according to the company.tion.
Image credit: Aniai
