Aniai Raises $4 Million to Accelerate U.S. Rollout of Automated Grill Platform

New updates have been reported about Aniai.

Aniai, a New York–headquartered kitchen robotics company, is expanding deployment of its Alpha Grill automation platform across U.S. restaurant chains as it closes a new $4 million investment from Korea Development Bank, bringing total funding to $19 million from a syndicate of institutional backers. The company’s core product, Alpha Grill, is designed to automate high-throughput grill stations in commercial kitchens, cooking more than 200 items per hour and handling multiple proteins and breakfast items in under two minutes using sensors, automated pressure, and precise temperature control to deliver consistent output at scale. The system integrates a robotic spatula for automated offloading, self-cleaning between batches, and a touchscreen interface with programmable recipes, enabling operators to slot the unit into existing workflows while maintaining menu flexibility.

Aniai has developed Alpha Grill in collaboration with enterprise quick-service restaurant (QSR) innovation centers and already has live U.S. installations at locations such as The Filling Station and The SSam in New York, where the technology is used during daily peak service to reduce labor intensity and increase throughput. The platform is also deployed at more than 50 kitchens globally, including major Asian franchise brands, and has produced over 3 million patties and food items, giving Aniai operational data and proof points to support wider enterprise rollout. CEO Gunpil Hwang said the company is prioritizing the U.S. market, where kitchen labor constraints and the need for consistent, scalable grill performance are driving strong demand for automation, and will use the new capital for U.S.-focused expansion, including supply chain readiness and enhanced commercial and technical support. As it scales, Aniai aims to deepen partnerships with large restaurant groups and make live reference sites more accessible to operators and investors evaluating automation’s impact on labor efficiency, service speed, and multi-unit expansion economics.