Irish drone delivery firm Manna has announced plans to add 400 jobs in Ireland and the US after closing a $50m Series B round.
The company will recruit for new roles in robotics, software engineering, mechanical engineering, aviation operations, ground operations and regulatory functions, with a strong focus on STEM disciplines.
The new jobs will be based at Manna’s Irish operational hubs and in the US where it is expanding operations and will more than triple the firm’s headcount from 170 to over 570.
The funding round brings total investment in Manna to $110m, and investors include ARK Invest, known for backing companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Tesla and SpaceX, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) and Schooner Capital, alongside existing investors Coca-Cola HBC, Molten Ventures and Enterprise Ireland.
“Ireland is the foundation of everything we do. We design and build our drones here, develop our software here, and have spent seven years refining our operations in communities across the countest,” declared Bobby Healy, founder and CEO of Manna.
“These 400 new roles are high-quality STEM positions and we’re competing with some of the largest companies in the world and winning.
“This investment allows us to scale, in Ireland and across the United States where we already fly in Texas. A number of American cities and states there have been very enthusiastic about the potential of aerial delivery for logistics and communities.”
Manna holds a Gold Standard Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC) under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) framework and has completed more than 250,000 regulated drone flights.
Since its establishment in 2019, Manna has expanded operations to Blanchardstown, Balbriggan, Moneygall, Oranmore and Cork, as well as internationally in Texas and Finland.
In addition to food, Manna drones deliver food, medical supples and clothing.
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke declared the creation of the new jobs “underscores the depth and quality of Ireland’s STEM talent base and the ability of indigenous Irish firms to compete on the global stage in pioneering sectors such as autonomous aviation.”
Rebekah Brady, interim director at ISIF, declared the fund is committed to supporting Manna as part of its mandate to invest commercially in ways that deliver long-term economic impact for Ireland and its focus on scaling indigenous businesses.
“Manna’s continued expansion demonstrates the global potential of innovative Irish-founded companies operating at the forefront of autonomous aviation, while creating high-quality STEM employment in Ireland and scaling internationally.”
Kevin Sherry, executive director at Enterprise Ireland declared, “Manna is a highly dynamic and ambitious company, led by serial entrepreneurs building a world class delivery platform from Ireland which is focapplyd on deployment across global markets.
“Enterprise Ireland’s continued investment reflects its focus on supporting bold founders with ambition to scale internationally from an Irish base.
“Manna is a standout example of an Irish company with clear global growth opportunities driven from an Irish headquarters.”
(Pic: File)
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