Press Release
Miso Robotics Just Became the Food Industry's Largest AI and Robotics Patent Holder
Miso Robotics acquired 300+ patents from Zume Pizza, the food robotics pioneer that raised $450M before closing in 2023. The deal makes Miso the food industry's largest AI and robotics IP holder, accelerating new features and cementing its position as the restaurant industry's go-to modernization partner.
June 26, 2026
The move signals a new phase of aggressive expansion for the restaurant AI company
Miso Robotics has acquired the full intellectual property portfolio of Zume Pizza, the food robotics pioneer that raised approximately $450 million before winding down operations in 2023. The transaction gives Miso ownership of more than 300 patents spanning robotic food preparation, delivery, sustainability, and packaging, creating what the company says is the largest AI and robotics patent portfolio in the food industry.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Zume, founded in 2015, was one of the most high-profile players in the first wave of food robotics investment. Though the company ultimately shuttered, the intellectual property it developed over nearly a decade now moves into the hands of a company actively deploying robots in commercial kitchens today.
Miso CEO Rich Hull framed the acquisition as a second-wave play. "In social media, MySpace was the first innovator, but Facebook won," Hull said. "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 extreme value of this IP and accelerate our industry-leading ability to deliver provable customer ROI."
The Zume deal follows Miso's recent acquisition of restaurant operations platform Zignyl, which the company is integrating into its Zippy restaurant revenue platform. The combined customer base already includes brands like Auntie Anne's, Jersey Mike's, Cinnabon, and Jamba, among others.
Together, the two acquisitions reflect a deliberate strategy Hull has pursued since joining the company roughly two years ago: pair disciplined organic growth with strategic inorganic moves. Miso's flagship product, Flippy Fry Station, is currently operating across seven US states at brands including White Castle, and recently entered its first NBA arena.
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Miso
Restaurant AI
Miso Robotics delivers AI automation for restaurants and hospitality. Flippy automates the fry station, reducing labor dependency with consistent execution at twice the throughput of manual operations. Zippy is your employee revenue engine, turning frontline performance into measurable business outcomes in real time.
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