Robot kitchen startup Enia (CEO Hwang Geon-pil) has secured a pre-Series A bridge investment of $4 million (approximately KRW 5.8 billion) from the Korea Development Bank (KDB). This investment brings its total funding to $19 million (approximately KRW 25.5 billion), and the company plans to use the funds to focus on expanding into the US market.
Enia is expanding the commercialization of its Alpha Grill cooking robot, focusing on New York City. The system is currently installed and in operation at burger joint TFS (The Filling Station) and Korean wrap restaurant The SSam, and pilot tests are underway with global fast food companies.
The Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) decided on this investment after comprehensively reviewing ENI's US business performance and technological competitiveness. In particular, Alpha Grill's ability to quickly adapt to the high operating standards of the US restaurant market was a key factor in its decision.
In Korea, the experience and references accumulated through operating cooking robots at major franchise stores such as Lotteria, Mom's Touch, and Frank Burger are also serving as a foundation for building trust in negotiations with large U.S. clients.
“The U.S. is the market with the highest need for cooking automation, and with the technology now verified in local stores, we will use this investment to fully expand our business and accelerate our efforts to secure global customers,” said Hwang Geon-pil, CEO of Enia.
Eniai solves structural challenges in the restaurant industry, such as labor shortages, quality discrepancies, and operating cost burdens, based on AI and robotics technology. It goes beyond simple equipment supply and provides integrated software functions that support overall operations, including remote updates and real-time monitoring.
Previously, Enia has received investment from domestic and foreign venture capital firms such as Intervest, SV Investment, Ignite, Capstone Partners, and Lotte Ventures.
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