Miso Robotics Expands Food Robotics IP Portfolio with Acquisition of Zume Pizza’s Technology

Miso Robotics, a prominent provider of artificial intelligence and robotics solutions for modern restaurants and hospitality, announced on June 24, 2026, that it has acquired the technology and intellectual property (IP) portfolio of Zume Pizza. Zume Pizza, an early innovator in food robotics, ceased operations after raising over $450 million. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 2015, Zume Pizza was a high-profile player in the initial wave of robotics companies targeting the food industry prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over a decade, Zume developed an extensive portfolio of more than 300 patents covering innovations in robotic food preparation, delivery, sustainability, and packaging.

Miso Robotics’ acquisition of Zume’s IP will enable the company to accelerate the integration of new features into its existing platform, expand into adjacent product categories more rapidly, and enhance its leadership position through patent licensing and enforcement.

Rich Hull, CEO of Miso Robotics, who joined the company approximately two years ago, highlighted the strategic significance of the acquisition. He stated, “Zume created the most important portfolio of technology in food robotics’ first wave. Now combined with Miso’s existing technology related to AI and robotic frying, grilling, and beverages, this transaction creates the food industry’s largest AI and robotics patent portfolio, and further solidifies Miso’s market-leading position as the restaurant and hospitality industry’s trusted, one-stop technology solution for modernization.”

Hull contextualized the timing of the deal by comparing it to other technology waves: “In social media, MySpace was the first innovator, but Facebook won. In tablets, Palm Pilot was the first innovator, but iPad won. Zume may have been a bit too early for the market, but its advancements were game-changing. As labor shortages and rising labor costs cause restaurants to rapidly modernize today, Miso can now be the one to unlock the massive value of this IP and further accelerate our industry-leading ability to deliver provable customer ROI.”

This acquisition follows Miso’s recent purchase of Zignyl, a restaurant operations software company. Miso is integrating Zignyl with its restaurant revenue generator product, Zippy. Together, the combined customer base includes major quick-serve restaurant brands such as Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Jersey Mike’s, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Jamba, Cinnabon, and Which Wich.

Miso’s acquisition of Zignyl earlier this year came shortly after Wonder’s $186 million acquisition of Sweetgreen’s Spyce robot, reflecting a broader consolidation trend in the restaurant AI and robotics sector.

Under Hull’s leadership, Miso has collaborated with NVIDIA to develop the Miso Hub, an AI infrastructure platform serving as an operating system for modern restaurants and foodservice operations. Powered by the Miso Hub, Miso’s flagship product, Flippy Fry Station, automates one of the most challenging and least desirable restaurant jobs: frying.

Flippy’s third generation was launched last year and has recently surpassed five million baskets fried in live commercial deployments. The product has expanded into its seventh U.S. state, partnering with restaurant brands such as White Castle, and has debuted in its first NBA arena.

Miso Robotics has raised over $100 million in funding, uniquely combining sophisticated institutional investors like Ecolab (NYSE: ECL) with a broad base of over 40,000 retail capital investors, a strategy reminiscent of OpenAI’s recent $3 billion retail-inclusive fundraising ahead of its IPO.

The restaurant industry’s urgent need for modernization has accelerated over the past three years, driven by affordable AI and robotics solutions that address labor shortages and rising labor costs initiated during the pandemic. According to the National Restaurant Association, the industry experiences an annual employee turnover rate of 144%, underscoring the importance of automation to improve worker retention and operational efficiency.

Miso Robotics is a leading developer of AI and robotics solutions for restaurants, hospitality, and foodservice operators. Its technology platform, supported by the largest AI and robotics patent portfolio in the food industry, addresses critical operational challenges while enhancing profitability. The company’s flagship product, Flippy Fry Station, is a 24/7 AI robot automating the most dangerous and hardest-to-staff food preparation tasks. Flippy ensures consistent food quality, improves worker safety, and delivers immediate return on investment. Miso’s newest AI product, Zippy, is an all-in-one restaurant revenue generator featuring employee rewards, real-time sales analysis, forecasting, and labor management tools. With strategic backing from Ecolab and collaboration with NVIDIA, Miso Robotics is recognized as a trusted partner for restaurant modernization worldwide.