Today in the Connected Economy: Uber Bets on Robot Delivery

Today in the connected economy, Uber invests in the future of robotic delivery with a partnership with autonomous vehicle company Nuro. Plus, Zelle marks 5 billion transactions in five years, while sustainability-focused online grocer Misfits Market purchases eGrocer Imperfect Foods.

Uber Eyes Long-Term Future of Robotic Delivery With 10-Year Partnership

Uber has formed a 10-year partnership with autonomous vehicle firm Nuro that will see the two companies make robotic deliveries. The project will launch in Houston, Texas, and Mountain View, California, this fall, with a planned expansion to more of the Bay Area in the works.

Zelle: 5 Billion Transactions in 5 Years

Although it’s something of a newcomer on the peer-to-peer (P2P) payments scene, Zelle said consumers and businesses have used its service to send more than 5 billion transactions, totaling nearly $1.5 trillion since the firm’s 2017 launch. More than 99.9% of payments were sent without any report of fraud or scams, and nearly 1,700 banks and credit unions use its services.

Misfits Market’s Imperfect Foods Deal Latest in eGrocery Consolidation

Sustainability-focused online grocer Misfits Market has acquired another anti-food-waste eGrocer, Imperfect Foods, for an undisclosed amount. The two companies will operate under their own banners in the short term, with Misfits’ Abhi Ramesh as CEO, although it seems likely that Imperfect Foods’ network will be folded into the Misfit Foods brand at some point.

Pleo Teams With Yapily to Power SMB Cash Flow

Automated expense management system Pleo has joined forces with open banking application programming interface (API) startup Yapily to assist small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with cash flow management. The collaboration allows for simplified payments for United Kingdom users. Pleo customers — with the help of Yapily — can use their bank account to top up their Pleo account. Customers receive money instantly, avoiding drawn-out settlement.

Marketplace Platform Arcadier Selects Nuvei as Payment Partner

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) B2C and B2B marketplace platform Arcadier has chosen Nuvei as its preferred payment partner in the United States, Latin America and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). With Nuvei as part of Arcadier’s platform, marketplace merchants can access customized and optimized payment flows, customizable reporting and reconciliation dashboards, and more than 570 alternative payment methods that they can add to their checkout flows.

French Startup Pledg, Credit Insurer Allianz Trade Partner on B2B BNPL

French payment solutions startup Pledg and credit insurance firm Allianz Trade have partnered to launch a buy now, pay later (BNPL) tool for B2B eCommerce sites and marketplaces. The solution will let B2B sellers offer their customers instant deferred or split payments while still receiving immediate and guaranteed payments.