Zipline raises $1.5 billion as Walmart plans 300 more drone delivery sites

Business · First reported 5 Nov, 13:06 · Updated 18:25

Image: Wikimedia Commons · NASA Johnson Space Center · Public domain

Zipline announced a $1.5 billion funding round at a $21.5 billion valuation and a new multi-year agreement for Walmart to add 300 US drone delivery sites. The company says it will use the funds to expand US manufacturing and hire as it builds a nationwide network.

Zipline raised $1.5 billion at a $21.5 billion valuation; Paradigm, WCM Investment Management and Layer Global led the round.
Walmart agreed to add 300 Zipline delivery sites in the US under a multi-year deal; the companies currently operate 21 sites together.
Zipline says it will put the funding toward expanding US manufacturing and hiring more staff for a nationwide delivery network.
Zipline began by delivering blood in Rwanda and now serves several African countries, US cities and Japan, according to the reports.

Summary written by Lux AI from 3 articles

Key facts

Funding and valuation: $1.5 billion raised at a $21.5 billion valuation, according to TechCrunch and TNW.
Walmart expansion: 300 additional US delivery sites under a new multi-year agreement.
Existing Walmart sites: 21 sites currently operating together; TNW locates them in Texas and Arkansas.
Planned use of funds: Expand US manufacturing and hire more workers.
Bloomberg snippet figures: Reports a $1 billion funding round at a $20 billion valuation.