Zipline, based in South San Francisco, runs autonomous drone delivery for health systems and retailers, including Walmart. It raised $600 million in January 2026 at a $7.6 billion valuation, and says it has made more than 2 million commercial deliveries.
At a glance
| Price from | Custom |
| Best for | Retailers and health systems adding drone delivery |
From Zipline's own website.
What stands out
- Millions of commercial deliveries
- Operates in the US and Africa
Worth knowing
- A service, not a drone you can buy
- Coverage limited to served areas
How it ranks
Zipline is ranked 3rd of 10 in Best Hardware Startups to Watch (Lister Score 94.0).
#3 in Best Hardware Startups to Watch · Lister Score 94.0
Zipline, founded in 2014 and based in South San Francisco, runs autonomous drone delivery for health systems, retailers and restaurants. In January 2026 it raised more than $600 million at a $7.6 billion valuation, led by Valor Equity Partners.
Reports on the January 2026 round cited 2 million drone deliveries completed by Zipline..
| Rank | Best Hardware Startups to Watch | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oura | 96.4 |
| 2 | Base Power | 95.2 |
| 3 | Zipline | 94.0 |
| 4 | Verkada | 92.8 |
| 5 | Flock Safety | 91.5 |
| 6 | Skydio | 90.3 |
| 7 | Nothing | 89.0 |
| 8 | Eight Sleep | 87.7 |
| 9 | Lumafield | 86.4 |
| 10 | Framework Computer | 85.1 |
Frequently asked questions
How does Zipline rank on Lister?
Zipline is ranked 3rd of 10 in Best Hardware Startups to Watch (Lister Score 94.0).
Appears in
- #1 in Best Delivery Drone Companies · Deep Tech
- #3 in Best Drone Companies · Deep Tech
Add this badge to your site
If you work at Zipline, paste this code into your website to show where it ranks on Lister. The badge links to the ranking and updates within a day when the rank changes.