(MENAFN- Robotics & automation News) Starship Technologies and Topanga partner to offer reusable packaging with campus food orders
January 21, 2025 by David Edwards
Starship Technologies , a builder and provider of autonomous delivery robots, and Topanga , a reusable packaging management platform, are partnering to offer reusable packaging for food orders at US campuses.
George Mason University will be the first Starship campus to introduce the ReusePass integration and the first university to offer a fully integrated reusables experience for kiosks.
There are plans to expand the service to additional Starship campuses. Initially available for mobile pickup and kiosk orders, it will be available for robot deliveries after the launch.
Topanga's ReusePass program, proven to scale across colleges and university campuses, is fully integrated with the Starship app. Students who place an order for mobile pickup or from a self-order kiosk can select reusable packing during the checkout process.
Those orders will be packaged in a reusable container and managed using Topanga's track-and-trace technology so students can see what containers they have and what needs to be returned. The reusable packing is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before being placed back in the program.
Chris Neider, VP of business development at Starship Technologies, says:“Sustainability has been a core part of Starship's service since the beginning and we couldn't be more excited about adding Topanga's ReusePass.
“Our university partners have told us that sustainability is important to them and their campus communities. George Mason University was our first university partner, the first campus where we rolled out wireless charging and now the first location where we are introducing reusable packaging. We think it will be a big hit and look forward to adding this option to more campuses.”
Topanga's ReusePass program will be live on more than 65 campuses this academic year and over 100,000 students have already used the program.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, the program served 1.2 million meals in reusable containers with an average return rate above 97 percent. This helped divert 123,500 pounds of waste from entering streams and avoided 859,934 lbs of GHG CO2e by choosing to reuse over manufacturing single-use containers.
Page Schult, CEO at Topanga, says:“Starship's technology has empowered campus communities to offer sustainable food delivery solutions, making our partnership a natural extension of their commitment to sustainable dining.
“Topanga's ReusePass integration with the Starship app and kiosks provides students with a seamless way to embrace sustainability without sacrificing convenience. It's a win-win-win for campuses, students, and the environment.”
Roshonda Alexander, Sodexo retail general manager at George Mason University, says:“At Mason Dining, sustainability is a top priority, and this seamless integration makes it easier than ever for our students to choose environmentally responsible dining options.
“We believe this will be a great success, furthering our commitment to a greener campus.”
Starship now reaches 1.5 million students with dining options from 900 merchants for its on-demand autonomous delivery at 55 US campuses. Globally, Starship has completed more than 7 million deliveries.
Starship Technologies operates commercially on a daily basis around the world. Its zero-emission robots make more than 150,000 road crossings every day and have completed nearly seven million commercial deliveries globally, more than any other autonomous delivery provider.
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