What: Boston-based company Urbx is working on a robotic fulfillment center that scales up to 150ft tall.

Why it is important: Automated fulfillment solutions are the way to go in the future as e-commerce demand continues to increase following the pandemic. Urbx’s solution of putting a large and automated fulfillment building in a city-centre is proof that the importance of fulfillment is being prioritized.

Urbx will work with third parties to integrate its automation into other stores. It will also eventually build thousands of Urbx-branded automated markets, unlike any grocery store seen before. The Urbx market won’t have aisles but will rather have kiosks where shoppers can order onsite or through a mobile phone. Once the order is made, robots will pack an order of 50 items in less than two minutes and deliver the items to the kiosk.

Urbx will also have curbside pickup, delivery via electric bikes, and eventually drone delivery.

Currently they have only raised seed funding, but the company hopes to have its first Urbx market developed by the end of next year.

Urbx’ Vertical Automated Grocery Fulfillment has High Ambitions