ROLO Robotics, a Singapore-based autonomous “micro-kitchen” systems provider, has announced raising $3.45 million in an oversubscribed Seed round anchored by venture investor BEENEXT.
The round also saw participation from a host of venture capital investors, including Blueprint Ventures, TIS Japan, Seedstars, A2D Ventures, SUTD Ventures, Antler, and Lotus One Investment.
ROLO develops unmanned cooking and service units that it says can operate 24/7 with minimal replenishment, using robotics, automation and AI to cut labour costs by up to 80% while improving consistency and food safety.
BEENEXT’s portfolio companies
The startup said it will use the proceeds to fund deployments in Singapore and pilot sites in Australia from the first quarter of 2026, targeting 20–30 autonomous micro-kitchens in Singapore by 2026.
“At ROLO, we believe the future of food service is human-robot collaboration, food that’s affordable, customisable and always fresh,” said Ravi Nahappan, co-founder and CEO.
SG startup Videotto raises seed funding
Indonesia-based East Ventures has invested an undisclosed amount in the seed funding round of Videotto, a Singapore-based AI video-editing technology startup, according to an announcement.
Videotto, founded by 18-year-old entrepreneurs Tay Yao Ming and Ian Lee, uses AI to automate post-production tasks, such as selecting highlights, adding captions and transitions, and adjusting audio and lighting.
It also generates multiple short clips tailored for social platforms and adapts to a user’s preferred editing style over time, the company said. Financial details of the round were not disclosed.
Singapore- and Jakarta-based East Ventures is an early investor in Southeast Asian startups and has backed more than 300 companies across the region.
Founded in 2009 in Indonesia, East Ventures has raised nine funds focusing on Southeast Asia.
SOUTHEAST ASIA DEAL MONITOR
DealStreetAsia has put together a table listing prominent startup investments in Southeast Asia for the week starting October 27, 2025.
| Startup name | Headquarters | Investment Size | Investment Stage | Lead investor(s) | Other Investor(s) | Industry / Verticals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augmentus | Singapore | Undisclosed | Undisclosed | Applied Ventures | AI / Robotics | |
| ourteam | Singapore | Undisclosed | Pre-Seed | First Move | HR Tech | |
| Videotto | Singapore | Undisclosed | Seed | East Ventures | AI / Video Editing | |
| ROLO Robotics | Singapore | $3,450,000 | Seed | BEENEXT | Blueprint Ventures, TIS Japan, Seedstars, A2D Ventures, SUTD Ventures, Antler, Lotus One Investment | F&B |
