Zipline to receive $150m U.S. backing to expand AI drone delivery across Africa

Zipline, a U.S.-based drone logistics company backed by Goldman Sachs and Sequoia Capital, is set to receive $150 million from the U.S. Department of State, but only if it secures signed expansion commitments from African governments. The deal is aimed at dramatically expanding the company’s AI-driven health delivery infrastructure across Africa. 

The funding is part of what the U.S. describes as a “pay-for-performance” experiment to engage the governments in scaling the company’s medical logistics infrastructure nationwide.

Under the agreement, funds will be released only when governments in Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Nigeria sign national expansion contracts and commit to ongoing operating costs. All four countries already operate Zipline services at a regional level; this funding allows them to scale those systems nationally, extending fast and reliable access to medical supplies to millions more people.

If fully implemented, the initiative will reach over 130 million Africans and triple the number of health facilities Zipline serves, from 5,000 to 15,000. The company estimates that the expansion will create more than 800 high-skilled jobs across logistics, robotics, and healthcare systems, while generating up to $1 billion in annual economic benefits by reducing supply-chain and credit bottlenecks that have long hindered healthcare delivery and commerce across the continent.

“This partnership reflects the best of what the United States can offer: innovation, high-quality jobs, and technology that helps countries leapfrog into the future,” said Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, Zipline’s CEO and co-founder. 

He added that the State Department’s support will accelerate the adoption of Zipline’s AI, robotics, and autonomous logistics systems, which have already demonstrated their impact across the continent.

Since launching operations in Rwanda in 2016, Zipline has established a track record of large-scale, life-saving delivery services. The company has partnered with national governments to supply blood and essential medicines to more than 5,000 hospitals and health facilities. 

According to Zipline, the goal of the backing is to push governments to treat drone logistics as permanent national infrastructure rather than donor-supported pilots.

Rwanda will be the first to benefit from the expansion, adding a third distribution centre, doubling daily deliveries, and deploying Zipline’s new short-range precision drone for dense urban environments. A flagship testing facility, where the company will trial global hardware and software systems, is also planned. Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Nigeria are expected to follow.

African governments say the model works because it delivers results. 

“Drone delivery has saved time, saved money, and saved lives,” said Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire. 

Nigeria’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said the country’s size makes reliable logistics even more critical. “With more than 200 million people, Nigeria faces unique challenges and opportunities in delivering healthcare equitably and efficiently,” he said. He described drone delivery as a potential enabler of “a healthier, more equitable future.”

For Caitlin Burton, CEO of Zipline Africa, the award signals a turning point for public healthcare on the continent. 

“The U.S. government is backing Africa’s vision and scaling one of the most cost-effective public health interventions ever studied,” she said. “This will change the trajectory of human health across the continent.”