Crown Digital Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based company that develops robotic barista systems, most notably Ella the robot barista.[1].

History edit

Crown Digital was founded in November 2020 by Keith Tan. The company focuses on applying technology to transform the food and beverage industry, particularly the coffee market [2].

Products edit

Crown Digital's primary product is Ella, a fully-automated robotic barista that utilizes a robotic arm to prepare coffee beverages. Customers order and customize their drinks through a dedicated mobile app and receive their coffee from the Ella unit [3].

Ella units are designed for standalone operation and can reportedly produce up to 200 customized coffee drinks per hour. Crown Digital has partnered with Eversys, a manufacturer of superautomatic coffee machines, to integrate their technology into Ella [4].

As of April 2024, Ella units are operational in Singapore, including locations at Changi Airport and Raffles Place MRT, and the company has plans to expand into Japan [1].

Funding edit

In June 2022, Crown Digital secured investment from RealTech Holdings, a venture capital firm focused on proptech and retail tech investments [3]. The funding aims to support the expansion of Ella, particularly in the Japanese market, and to enhance the company's manufacturing, marketing, and research capabilities [4]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Crown Digital Pte Ltd".
  2. ^ "CROWN DIGITAL PTE. LTD". Intel Partner Showcase.
  3. ^ a b "RealTech Fund invests in Crown Digital, a developer of fully-automated robotic baristas". RealTech Holdings Japan (Press release). 9 June 2023.
  4. ^ a b "RealTech Holdings invests in Crown Digital's ELLA robot barista concept". World Coffee Portal. 21 June 2023.