Circus, a pioneering Food-Tech company known for its micro-kitchens and AI-driven culinary offerings, has made a significant move by acquiring Berlin-based culinary robotics startup, Aitme. This strategic acquisition allows Circus to integrate cutting-edge kitchen robotics technology into its operations, further enhancing its ability to deliver innovative and diverse culinary experiences.
Aitme, established in 2019, has been a standout player in the field of culinary robotics, attracting substantial double-digit investments from prominent investors. Notably, Aitme successfully brought a cooking robot to market maturity, showcasing its expertise in this domain.
Circus, on the other hand, has gained recognition for its proprietary micro-kitchen hub technology, which combines automation and digitization to revolutionize food preparation and delivery. Their unique approach involves crafting recipes through artificial intelligence, resulting in a wide variety of personalized dishes produced with efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Since its launch in 2022, Circus has rapidly expanded its services to several German cities, securing €18 million in investments.
Nikolas Bullwinkel, CEO and co-founder of Circus, expressed his enthusiasm about the acquisition, saying, “At Circus, we are advancing a vision of the future where technology converges with gastronomy to create unique culinary experiences that cater to the diverse needs of modern consumers. Aitme’s exceptional robotics expertise complements our proprietary infrastructure of our micro-kitchen hubs, seamlessly blending software-based technology with artificial intelligence. Together, we are strategically positioned to further expand Circus’ services and accelerate our mission of making high-quality, fresh, and varied food accessible to everyone.”
Aitme’s automated kitchens are known for their precision and efficiency in executing complex preparation tasks. They significantly reduce cooking times while maintaining the highest product quality, resulting in a reduction of food waste. Historically, Aitme focused on providing robotic kitchen solutions to canteens. However, with Circus’ acquisition, the company’s experienced robotics experts will join the Circus team, and their sophisticated cooking robots will be integrated into Circus’ micro-kitchens. These robots are designed to operate with minimal human intervention, enhancing the level of automation within Circus’ micro-kitchens.
Emanuel Pallua, founder of Aitme, expressed his excitement about the acquisition, saying, “Circus and Aitme share a common mission: to provide people with the best food – anytime, anywhere, tailored to their individual preferences. We are thrilled that Circus will continue to advance our technology in pursuit of this mission.”
This strategic move is set to further solidify Circus’ position as a leader in Food-Tech innovation, combining AI-driven culinary creativity with cutting-edge robotics for an enhanced dining experience.
