Manna has raised $25 million to expand its drone fleet’s operations, including the addition of delivery services for prescription medical supplies and an initial expansion into the U.S.
A Manna Aero drone delivers a parcel during a flight demonstration in Dublin, Ireland. Photographer: Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Bloomberg
The Series A round was led by venture capital firm Draper Esprit and drew participation from Team Europe as well as existing investors Dynamo Ventures, Atlantic Bridge and Elkstone, the Irish company said in a statement on Thursday.
The startup — which designs, builds and operates drones to deliver restaurant food, groceries and pharmacy goods in suburban areas — said it will use the funds to scale its fleet and begin delivering prescription medical supplies. Manna’s drones can make a delivery in less than three minutes and the company says a single employee can manage multiple drones to make about 20 drop offs an hour.