Startup Factories: Instacart
Meet the 40+ startups founded by former Instacart operators who have collectively raised over $770M
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STARTUP FACTORIES
We recently launched a new series called Startup Factories—when a startup achieves success, it often blossoms with powerful network effects—former employees, or "operators," go on to launch their own ventures, invest in early-stage startups, or even establish their own venture funds.
This edition spotlights former Instacart operators who have gone on to become founders.
ABOUT INSTACART
Instacart connects shoppers to local grocery stores for fast, flexible delivery. Since 2012, it’s raised $2.9B and formed partnerships with retailers like Costco, Safeway, and Walmart.
Now, its alumni are launching the next generation of startups.
THE RIPPLE EFFECT: BY THE NUMBERS
What do we know so far about the former operators turned founders?
40+ startups founded by former Instacart employees
$770M+ in total funding raised
30+ stealth startups launched in the past year
Majority AI-focused
Most founders come from engineering or product related roles
Nearly all startups are U.S. based
Only startups with $500K+ in funding are included. Data powered by Harmonic.
Let’s take a closer look!
WHEN THESE STARTUPS WERE FOUNDED
Most of the 40+ startups were launched in the last three years—a testament to how quickly operator-led ecosystems can scale.
WHAT ARE THEY BUILDING?
More than half of the startups are focused on AI, reflecting today’s market trend. Marketplaces and Financial Services follow closely, while others are building across Healthcare, FoodTech, and HRTech.
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WHO ARE THESE FOUNDERS?
The typical founder previously held either an engineering or product related role before starting their own company. This is becoming a common theme throughout our series on Startup Factories where almost all former operators either have an engineering or product related background.
Additional roles which the former operators had include those covering Operations, Data Scientists, Business Development and a few in Growth.
NUMBER OF CO-FOUNDERS PER STARTUP
Most founding teams have 2–3 co-founders, often bonded by time working together at Instacart.
LATEST FUNDING STAGE
The featured startups show strong potential. Among those that have raised at least $500K to be included in this edition, many are advancing beyond the Pre-Seed stage to Seed and Series A, with some gradually reaching Series B. A few exits are also starting to take place.
AVERAGE FUNDING ROUNDS
The average number of funding rounds raised per startup, based on their latest funding stage, is as follows:
Pre-Seed: $1.3M
Seed: $5.8M
Series A: $17.2M
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WHO’S INVESTING
From the 40+ startups listed, 22% have raised from Y Combinator. The most frequent additional investors include: First Round Capital, South Park, Pathbreaker, 8VC and others.
*Y Combinator also appeared as the most active investor in all previous editions covering Startup Factories.
FASTEST GROWING STARTUPS
We take a look at the fastest growing startups founded by the former operators. The fastest growing startups are based on headcount growth in the last 90 days. They include:
Anomalo: Offers an automated platform that uses machine learning to detect data anomalies and ensure data quality, with features like root cause analysis and customizable validation.
Dyna Robotics: Builds AI-enhanced robotic arms for automating repetitive tasks, leveraging foundation models trained on large datasets for adaptability and efficiency.
Tandem: Provides a smart office-sharing platform that matches hybrid teams with co-tenants, offering ready-to-use spaces and support for legal and operational logistics.
Zania: Develops AI agents to automate security and compliance processes, including risk assessments and regulatory tasks, with a focus on high accuracy and adherence to SOC2.
Scout: Uses AI to match users with grant opportunities and assist in proposal writing, streamlining the federal grant application process.
STEALTH STARTUPS: EX INSTACART EMPLOYEES
In addition to the 40+ startups that have raised at least $500K, discover the 30+ founders who have been operating in stealth since the beginning of 2024.
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