DRONEDEK, the Indianapolis startup that has patented a high-tech mailbox designed for secure drone delivery, has raised more than $1.25 million to support its imminent product launch. To support that launch, the company plans to establish a new central Indiana office and create up to 85 new, high-wage jobs.
Investments come from a combination of angel investors and a crowdsourcing campaign that closes April 30, 2021. DRONEDEK holds two U.S. patents for its sophisticated mailbox, which is designed to accept drone deliveries of any type, including food deliveries that it can keep hot or cold.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the response,” said DRONEDEK CEO Dan O’Toole. “We’ll be announcing our new headquarters location along with some other significant advances in the next few months.”
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation has offered DRONEDEK up to $1.7 million in conditional tax credits based on the company’s plans to create up to 85 new, high-wage jobs in Indiana by the end of 2025. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once Hoosiers are hired.
“Central Indiana’s tech ecosystem is thriving and innovative companies like DRONEDEK are taking notice, and are growing and innovating here,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger. “DRONEDEK’s technology will make a positive impact on the world, and the company is also making a positive impact directly in the community by creating new, high-quality job opportunities for Hoosiers.”
Based in Indianapolis, DRONEDEK is one of the first companies in the world to focus on drone delivery for commercial and residential use. With more than 160 million addresses in the U.S. alone (with 4,000 new addresses created daily) the addressable market is immense.
