Relocalize nabs $2.5m to advance F&B autonomous micro-factory

• Relocalize offers autonomous food production-platforms-as-a-service to grocery and convenience retailers
• Positioned at retailer distribution and fulfillment centers, these micro-factories, known as RELOs, produce CPG products on-demand
• The round’s proceeds will be used to prepare Relocalize’s platform for scaling

Relocalize, a Montreal-based developer of an autonomous micro-factory for the food and beverage (F&B) industry, has raised $2.5 million in the initial close of a $3.5 million seed financing.

The round is being led by i4 Capital and Waterpoint Lane, with participation from RGS Ice.

Relocalize offers autonomous food production-platforms-as-a-service to grocery and convenience retailers. Positioned at retailer distribution and fulfillment centers, these micro-factories, known as RELOs, produce CPG products on-demand for 100 to 200 retail stores. Each RELO performs all the functions of a traditional factory but at about 1/20th the scale.

The round’s proceeds will be used to prepare Relocalize’s autonomous production platform for scaling.

Tim Tokarsky, founder and managing partner of i4 Capital, said in a statement, “We believe that Relocalize’s micro-manufacturing technology will help reinvent the way consumers access quality food and beverage products. The world’s first hyper-local micro-factory for packaged ice is just the beginning; numerous applications will leverage their disruptive manufacturing platform, directly cutting GHG emissions.”

Based in Quebec City, i4 Capital is a venture capital firm focused on innovative manufacturing/Industry 4.0, clean technology, information technology and advanced technologies.

Based in Toronto, Waterpoint Lane is a venture capital and growth equity firm specializing in the agrifoodtech sector.