SQUARE wins Startup Challenge with AI-based delivery robots

SQUARE has won the Startup Challenge business idea competition. Behind the idea are four students from University West who impressed the jury with AI-based delivery robots and a clearly scalable business model. The win means SEK 25,000 in start-up capital from Skill and business development support from Innovatum Science Park's incubator and University West's innovation office.

- This isn't just a win for us - it's a win for sustainable cities, smarter mobility and local innovation. We look forward to working with more partners and policymakers to make Square Autonomous Delivery Bots a reality. This is just the beginning, and we believe Sweden is the perfect place to launch something that really makes a difference. We will use the prize money to start a limited company," says Prajwal Mahesh Palled, one of the students behind the idea.

The team wants to contribute to reduced emissions and flexible delivery options for grocery stores and other market players by developing lightweight, self-driving delivery robots for urban environments to be leased out.

The robots are designed to ensure reliable and environmentally friendly deliveries and to find the shortest delivery route using AI-based navigation.

The competition, which was organized for the first time in the spring for students, researchers and doctoral students at University West, has been open for five weeks for business ideas in all types of industries.

Five ideas were shortlisted and pitched to the jury, and the winners were announced on Thursday. In their assessment, the jury looked at criteria such as market need, level of innovation, sustainability and scalability.

- We had a great starting field with several ideas that solve pressing problems in smart ways. With a strong team, a scalable business model and AI-based technology, we see that SQUARE has the potential to make a big difference. We look forward to following their journey forward," says Christian Andersson-Gran, COO at Skill, which was a prize partner in the competition.