Grounded Announces $3.5M Pre-Seed Round for Smart, Modular, Electric Vans
Oct 7, 2024
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Advanced manufacturing and mobility startup demonstrates strong product market fit with $3M in sales in under 12 months
Detroit, MI – October 7th, 2024 – Grounded, a Detroit-based advanced manufacturing and mobility startup founded by ex-SpaceX engineer and TripleLift product leader Sam Shapiro, today announced it has secured $3.5 million in pre-seed funding, co-led by The 81 Collection in Chicago and Also Capital in New York. Other participants include Side Door Ventures, Tony Lyscio (SpaceX Starlink Development Manager), and Tristan Walker (Walker & Company).
The investment will accelerate the development of Grounded’s proprietary modular vehicle upfitting and manufacturing system, poised to redefine the commercial and recreational vehicle markets (the light commercial vehicle market is $6.1 trillion globally). Vehicle upfitting is the process of adding modifications and features to serve a particular set of needs.
Grounded has developed Modulo, a “Lego-like”, designed-for-manufacturing, modular system for scalable, customizable manufacturing of the interiors of vans and commercial vehicles for dozens of use cases including recreational vehicles, mobile medical and dental, delivery vans, pet grooming, mobile offices, food transport, etc.
This innovative approach allows for rapid customization based on individual business and personal needs served by a growing module library including options such as raisable patient beds, gear storage boxes, indoor showers, smart power and electronics modules, and Starlink dishes. By reducing vehicle upfit times by 90% without sacrificing quality, Grounded is set to disrupt the traditional vehicle upfitting industry.
“We are long-term believers in the power of mass personalization,” said Sam Shapiro, Founder and CEO of Grounded. “Our Modulo system not only meets the unique needs of each customer but also allows us to scale production efficiently. This funding will enable us to expand our offerings and reach new markets faster.”
Grounded has already achieved $3 million in vehicle sales. The company has established an initial foothold in the camper van market with the G2, their flagship 270+ mile range electric RV, and is expanding into other commercial vans such as a mobile women’s health in Hawaii and a delivery van for a sustainable logistics startup in Brooklyn.
Grounded vehicles also come with a smart electronics system powered by embedded software inside the vehicle that allows users to remotely monitor and control everything about the vehicle from the Grounded+ mobile app and fleet dashboard.
Grounded’s growth trajectory aligns with several macro trends, including the electrification of commercial vehicle fleets, increased adoption of connected vehicles by enterprises, and reshoring U.S. manufacturing led by top-tier engineering talent.
The pre-seed round investment underscores confidence in Grounded’s vision to eliminate the need for expensive, centralized locations by bringing services directly to customers. As businesses become more remote and mobile, Grounded’s solutions offer a pathway to optimize operational expenses, shifting gross margins from 20% closer to 50% by reducing manufacturing costs.
“The world is becoming smaller, more mobile, and more flexible,” said Alex Kirshenbaum of The 81 Collection. “We see a future where businesses evolve to get closer to customers, and Grounded makes that a reality.”
The funding will be used to scale production capabilities, expand the team, and go deeper into new market opportunities that benefit from Grounded’s adaptive customization technology including mobile medical, mobile dental, pet grooming, logistics, and mobile refrigeration.
Grounded will be recruiting for several roles in the coming months, including a Chief Operations Officer, Head of Manufacturing and Head of Business Development.
About Grounded:
Grounded is an advanced manufacturing and mobility startup based in Detroit, Michigan. Founded by Sam Shapiro, an engineering and product leader from SpaceX and TripleLift, the company specializes in modular manufacturing solutions for commercial vehicles and RV interiors. Grounded’s innovative upfitting system allows for rapid, customized configurations, reducing build times and enabling mass personalization at scale.
For more information, visit www.groundedrvs.com.
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