Tackling the challenges associated with the “last-mile” of delivery are key to the sustainability of e-commerce and improving the environment.  Starship Technologies is confronting this challenge by building a fleet of autonomous personal delivery devices (“PDDs”) designed to deliver goods locally in 15-30 minutes within a 2-3 mile radius. 

Launched by two Skype co-founders, Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis, Starship’s aim is to fundamentally reshape how goods are shipped and delivered, and make local delivery, almost free.  The company offers a powerful solution to the environmental challenges associated with the “last mile” of delivery, by eliminating failed deliveries, facilitating returns, and dramatically lowering the cost, energy usage, and CO2 emissions associated with this portion of the delivery system.

GOALS  

Starship’s revolution in the local delivery, however, requires approval from a variety of levels of government, depending on the jurisdiction, in order to operate on sidewalks, crosswalks, and other areas in cities across the country and internationally.  That’s where Georgetown Public Affairs came in.

For seven years, Georgetown Public Affairs was the driving force behind Starship’s successful international public affairs efforts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, among other countries.

PLANS

GPA was responsible for developing Starship’s original legislative and regulatory strategy both in the United States and Europe, including but not limited to:

• Crafting company talking points and issue messaging;

• Drafting legislative and regulatory language;

• Identifying and recruiting local allies;

• Working with governors, state legislatures, Members of Parliament, transportation agencies and officials, and many others;

• Responding to local and national media;

• Utilizing legislative and trade associations to engage public officials and industry partners; and

• Navigating complex political environments in multiple jurisdictions.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Under GPA's direction, nine states and the District of Columbia enacted laws authorizing the operation of PDDs in public space.  In addition, GPA led the successful adoption of national statutes and authorizations in Estonia, Finland, and Denmark, and secured municipal permits in the UK, Germany, and over a dozen US cities.   

Starship Technologies is currently operating in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, and Estonia with partners like Domino’s Pizza, Co-op, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, Grubhub, Dunkin’, Bolt, Panera Bread, and others offering PDD delivery in the food, grocery, and parcel industries.