Vox Smart Contaier Platform

Besides the EC growth, about 20% of delivery occurs redelivery because of the recipient's absence. It turns out to $42B of the annual cost for re-delivery. In the US, as a result of package drop, more than 70% of people have been a victim of porch theft and the cost for compensation is over $48B in total.

Our smart container that can be controlled via smartphone eliminates the chance of re-delivery, package theft and allows asynchronized delivery/shipping operation for both couriers and consumers. Consumers can both receive and ship items from their homes safely without meeting delivery staff or robots. 

Unlike the conventional delivery robot, our smart delivery cart can be controlled by human operators remotely via cellular networks.  Any people in the world will be able to work as delivery operators using their smartphones via our crowdsourcing platform.

E-commerce sales transaction doubled in 6 years and the market is continuously growing. Besides the EC growth, about 20% of delivery occurs redelivery because of the recipient's absence. This operation causes $2+ additional expenses for each redelivery to carriers. It turns out to $42B of the annual cost for re-delivery.

In the US, as a result of package drop, more than 70% of people have been a victim of porch theft and the cost for compensation is over $48B in total, which has been covered by carriers and e-commerce retailers. This serious problem is happening in global and there is no effective solution.

New approaches like in-home delivery is not smoothly accepted by consumers due to the feeling of unsafe, uncomfortable to provide the couriers drivers (strangers) permission to get in to their house. Also robot delivery is expected to eliminate the cost of carriers, but it still requires customers to come to pickup packages with adjusting time to meet.

For retails and manufacturers, smart container allows fully automated item packing and shipment at their warehouse. Also the item demand prediction algorithm (by utilizing ML to precise shipping data) would dramatically optimize production, stocking and stock allocation. These will allow them huge reduction of waste and cost.

For consumers, with installing smart container platform, the way to accept deliveries and ship items will be changed to fully asynchnonized which requires no time binding any more. As a result of accurate demand prediction, time duration from making order to accept items will be dramatically shortened. Or when you think about getting any items, the smart container has the item inside is already delivered in your door step and only you have to do is make the payment to get the access to open the container. That will be ultimate convenience store tailored to each customers.

Smart container that can be controlled via smartphone eliminates the chance of re-delivery, package theft and allows asynchronized delivery/shipping operation for both couriers and consumers. Consumers can both receive and ship items from their homes safely without meeting delivery staff or robots. 

Vox system provides secure unlock authentication and status tracking that work with no electrical wiring and no network setup. Our proprietary authentication technology using bi-directional BLE data transmission between smartphone and Vox lock module validates access permission to each Vox container only using a smartphone’s mobile network. This allows extremely low-energy consumption (works more than 3 years with battery inside) and lows the manufacturing cost of the container.

By using our container as an actual reusable shipping box, retailers/manufacturers would be able to automate packing/shipping operation and save the world from the waste of millions of disposable shipping boxes.

Customers (Manufacturer, wholesale, retail, supermarket, etc.) will pay monthly based on the number of containers they use and pay per number of transactions of delivery we operate, we call this business model "Container as a Service". We manufacture the smart container, smart cart and outsource the container delivery operation to the gig workers who have a smartphone around. 

Unlike the conventional delivery robot, our smart delivery cart can be controlled by human operators remotely via cellular networks. So that we don't need to care about the reliability of the autonomous operation system. Any people in the world including the country-side/developing countries, who have a disability will be able to work as delivery operators

• Reduced cost for paper shipping box: Disposable cardboard box is a costly package and high environmental impact. Our smart container is reusable for more than 10yrs and is provided as 'Container as a Service' which means it doesn't require an initial cost to install.
• Increased last-mile delivery operational efficiency: Our smart container can be delivered without meeting the recipient with security and status is tracked on the cloud platform. It reduces the chance of re-delivery that causes additional energy consumption with labor cost for each delivery. Therefore, smart container turns the last-mile delivery more sustainable from perspective of both economical view and environmental view.

So far, we've installed more than 100 units of our smart delivery box for consumer's house which cost is covered by big electric power company (Kyushu Electric) Regarding smart container, we already got requests of orders from big logistics operators (DHL, SGL) and major car manufacturers (Nissan, Suzuki). Now we are in the process of pilot projects with these clients.

#1: Kyushu Electric Power

1) Collaboration agreement for pilot project and product purchase agreement.
2) Sold 300 units so far. 10K units of order request in verbal
3) Proceeding pilot project for 3 months. 10K order will be made soon.
4) Selected on their acceleration program. 300 units for pilot project. 10K units for customer distribution. Offer of distribution partnering and investment

#2: Softbank

1) LOI and purchase agreement
2) Sold 2 units so far. 500K units / year of order request.
3) $3M of investment offer within 1-2months. Requested 100K units of production in 6mo.
4) 2 units for product testing. Offer of distribution partnering and investment.

#3: Itochu Corp

1) Collaboration agreement for pilot project
2) 50 units of production request for pilot project.
3) $2M of investment from their investment arm: Within 1-2months.
4) Selected on their acceleration program. Co-proposing pilot project to their customer supermarket. Offer of distribution partnering and investment.

#4: Marubeni Corp.

1) Collaboration agreement for pilot project
2) 10-20 units of production request with app development order for pilot project.
3) 3-6mo. pilot project for delivery laundry service using Vox system.
4) Selected on their acceleration program. Offer of distribution partnering.

In 5 years, we would replace the old-style paper shipping package delivery to smart container platform which is reusable, shippable, scalable and fully automated.

For retails and manufacturers, smart container allows fully automated item packing and shipment at their warehouse. Also the item demand prediction algorithm (by utilizing ML to precise shipping data) would dramatically optimize production, stocking and stock allocation. These will allow them huge reduction of waste and cost.

For consumers, with installing smart container platform, the way to accept deliveries and ship items will be changed to fully asynchnonized which requires no time binding any more. As a result of accurate demand prediction, time duration from making order to accept items will be dramatically shortened. Or when you think about getting any items, the smart container has the item inside is already delivered in your door step and only you have to do is make the payment to get the access to open the container. That will be ultimate convenience store tailored to each customers.

With providing values and experiences above, we aim to accomplish the following missions in 5 years.
- Unleash time binding for both of workers and consumers.
- Make the logistics and production more sustainable, wasteless.

Many of companies are trying to develop fully autonomous driving system, but it will take more than 5-10 years to apply it on public area including sidewalk. In addition, the responsibility of program in case of accident is big hurdle for most of service providers.

With 4G network, there is low problem with controlling delivery carts in private/controlled areas including warehouse/factory, because there is low occurance of unexpected event and we will be able to design the way of operation with expecting network latency. But with 5G network, we will be able to expand the location/application to apply our delivery cart into public field including sidewalk. That is the field many of carriers/courier service providers are struggling to manage and in emergency of human resource shortage. To implement our smart container and delivery of cart by remote operation is key solution for last-mile delivery which demand is increasing exponentially.

We think the most smooth and quickest way to implement unmanned last-mile delivery is remote operation of the delivery cart and install smart container to secure base station on the delivery location. For controlling the smart cart remotely, the critical challenge is network latency between the cart and operator. Therefore, the 5G network will be a must to have infrastructure for distributing our delivery solution with low-latency monitoring and operating. 

Once 5G infrastructure is widely installed globally, we will be able to outsource the operation of machines/robots like the delivery cart to anyone has smartphone connected with 5G network in the world, that will dramatically change the way people work and solve the problem of workforce shortage in the developed country.

• Selected at multiple accelerator programs by Orange, Verizon, Fedex, DHL and HAX.
•  20+ distribution partners who have enormous customer which includes telco, electric power company..
•  100K+ pre-order request so far.
•  10+ supermarket/retail stores in Japan and UK are interested in using our product to deliver their products to their customer.
•  3 of big delivery carrier has agreed to operate their delivery using our product.
•  Accomplished small amount production and conducting several pilot project with big corporate partners in Japan.
•  Started joint development of delivery robot with several car manufacturers.

Full-time staff: 3

Part-time staff: 3

Yoichiro Hara:
B.Sc. & 15+ yrs of business experience in IT and marketing industry (3 times entrepreneur).

Yutaro Kyono:
M.Sc. & 20+ yrs of experience in hardware development & 14+ yrs software development (2 times entrepreneur).

Kiyofumi Takimoto:
B.Eng. & 20+ yrs of experience in software development (2 times entrepreneur). Formerly worked at Yamaha Motors and Square Enix.

#1: Kyushu Electric Power
1) Collaboration agreement for pilot project and product purchase agreement.
2) Sold 300 units so far. 10K units of order request in verbal
3) Proceeding pilot project for 3 months. 10K order will be made on Sep. 2019.
4) Selected on their acceleration program. 300 units for pilot project. 10K units for customer distribution. Offer of distribution partnering and investment.

#2: Softbank
1) LOI and purchase agreement
2) Sold 2 units so far. 500K units / year of order request.
3) $3M of investment offer within 1-2months. Requested 100K units of production in 6mo.
4) 2 units for product testing. Offer of distribution partnering and investment.

#3: Itochu Corporation
1) Collaboration agreement for pilot project
2) 50 units of production request for pilot project.
3) $2M of investment from their investment arm: Within 1-2months.
4) Selected on their acceleration program. Co-proposing pilot project to their customer supermarket. Offer of distribution partnering and investment.

#4: Marubeni Corp.
1) Collaboration agreement for pilot project
2) 10-20 units of production request with app development order for pilot project.
3) 3-6mo. pilot project for delivery laundry service using Vox system.
4) Selected on their acceleration program. Offer of distribution partnering.

Customers (Manufacturer, wholesale, retail, supermarket, etc.) will pay monthly based on the number of containers they use and pay per number of transactions of delivery we operate, we call this business model "Container as a Service". Customers don't need to buy the containers as an initial cost, we aim to provide the delivery system as a logistics platform. We manufactur the smart container, smart cart and outsource the container delivery operation to the gig workers who have smartphone around the world.

• Selling products/services　$5/mo. + $0.5/transaction
• Raising capital

Pitch contest:
- Viva technology 2018 : Selected on Verizon accelerator
- Slush Tokyo 2019 : Finalist
- Pioneers ’19 : Top50
- PYSU 2019 : Finalist
- FedEx Small Business Idea Contest : Finalist
- Singularity University Global Impact Challenge : Finalist

Selected accelerator program:
- Y combinator school
- PlugAndPlay Japan
- X-HUB Tokyo London program
- OrangeFab Asia
- Open Network Lab Resitech program
- MIT Venture Scaling Bootcam