Technology: Rwanda
Zipline, a private company that flies delivery drones, has raised US$1.5 billion at a valuation, the price investors put on the whole company, of US$21.5 billion. It began operating in Rwanda, and it now wants to build a drone delivery network across the United States.
Zipline said on Thursday 5 November 2026 that its new funding round values the company at US$21.5 billion, nearly triple its level in January. The company says the money will fund US factories, hiring and a nationwide network.
Zipline says Rwanda became the first country in the world to launch its autonomous delivery service, in 2016, and its Rwanda network now delivers blood, vaccines and essential medicines. We covered the next stage in Zipline’s African expansion, and the US link is now much larger.
Key Facts
—Deal. Zipline, a drone delivery company, raised US$1.5 billion at a US$21.5 billion valuation on 5 November 2026.
—Jump. January’s valuation was reported at about US$7.6 billion to US$7.85 billion, so the value nearly triples.
—Walmart. The US retailer will add 300 additional drone delivery sites under a new multi-year national agreement.
—Rwanda. Zipline says it launched there in 2016, the first country in the world to host its service.
—Next. Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, is due to get urban drone delivery, with no date given.
What Happened
Zipline announced the raise on Thursday 5 November 2026 at a post-money valuation of US$21.5 billion, which counts the company after the new cash. Paradigm, an investment firm, WCM Investment Management, an asset manager, and Layer Global, an investment firm, led the round.
Uber, the ride-hailing and delivery company, also took part, as did investment firms and banks including Fidelity Management & Research Company, Tiger Global, J.P. Morgan, a bank, ARK Invest, Salesforce Ventures and Valor Equity Partners.
Zipline says it will spend the money on US manufacturing, hiring and a nationwide delivery network. Zipline raised more than US$600 million in January 2026, when one report put its valuation at about US$7.6 billion and another at US$7.85 billion.
The new figure is about 2.7 to 2.8 times that level, so the value nearly triples.
In Plain English
Zipline. A private company that flies delivery drones.
Valuation. It is the price investors put on a whole company.
Platform 2. It is Zipline’s urban delivery system, built for cities such as Kigali.
Walmart and Uber Back the US Build-Out
Walmart, the US retail giant, and Zipline will launch 300 additional drone delivery sites under a new national multi-year agreement. The companies say it could expand.
Zipline says Uber, the ride-hailing and delivery company, is targeting one million deliveries a day with Zipline by 2029. Zipline also says it made more than one million deliveries in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas this year alone.
Zipline says the median order in October arrived 19 minutes after checkout, against 30 or more minutes for traditional delivery. Its longest-serving restaurant partners saw delivery sales rise 26% between March and October, it says, and 80% of that rise came from Zipline orders.
Rwanda Is Where Zipline Began
Zipline launched its autonomous delivery service in Rwanda in 2016, the first country in the world to do so, according to its February 2026 statement. In that month the Government of Rwanda signed an expansion agreement with the company.
The agreement is the first milestone under Zipline’s US$150 million award from the US Department of State, the American foreign ministry. Rwanda is to become the first country with full nationwide autonomous logistics coverage.
Kigali and Karongi Come Next
Zipline says Rwanda will also be the first African country with Platform 2 in places such as Kigali, where about 40% of the country’s healthcare demand is concentrated. A third long-range distribution centre in Karongi District is to join the existing hubs in the Muhanga and Kayonza districts.
With it, the company says the Rwanda network would cover over 11 million people and support about 350 local jobs. Paula Ingabire, Rwanda’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology and Innovation, said in that statement that drone delivery meant “saving time, saving money, and saving lives”.
Why It Matters
A company whose Rwanda network delivers blood, vaccines and essential medicines is now raising money to build a US network for Walmart and Uber customers. Rwanda’s 2016 start is the proof of operation that Zipline points to.
The US government also funds Rwanda’s expansion through the State Department award. Zipline is a private company, so the round shows how professional investors now value drone delivery, while our Rwanda economy report covers the wider picture.
What to Watch
Zipline’s February 2026 statement said service in Kigali would come soon, without a date. Visitors can read our Kigali guide for November 2026.
The 300 new Walmart sites have no confirmed end date. Uber’s target of one million deliveries a day runs to 2029.
What It Means for You
Walmart says it can deliver eligible items in as fast as 30 minutes where the service is available. Whether your address qualifies depends on where the 300 new sites open.
Travellers and expats in Rwanda may see urban drone delivery in Kigali, though Zipline has given no date. Households can check our Rwanda inflation report for October 2026.
What Is Not Known
No date for the Kigali urban service is confirmed, and the split between new and existing shares in the round is not confirmed. Zipline’s revenue and profit are not confirmed either, and the January valuation is a reported estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Zipline?
Zipline is a private company that flies delivery drones. Zipline says it launched its service in Rwanda in 2016, the first country in the world to do so.
How much is Zipline worth now?
Zipline announced a US$1.5 billion raise at a US$21.5 billion post-money valuation on 5 November 2026. In January 2026 reports put the value at about US$7.6 billion to US$7.85 billion.
What did Walmart agree with Zipline?
Walmart and Zipline will launch 300 additional drone delivery sites under a new national multi-year agreement. Both companies say it has potential to grow further.
What is next for Rwanda?
A third long-range distribution centre in Karongi District is to join hubs in the Muhanga and Kayonza districts. Zipline says the Rwanda network would then cover over 11 million people.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error
Brazil runoff date: Sunday, October 25, poll closing times and when results start · Brazil runoff polls: Flávio 51%, Lula 49% · Kalshi and Polymarket odds
Rotate for Best Experience
This report is optimized for landscape viewing. Rotate your phone for the full experience.
You've reached your free article limit
Subscribe to The Rio Times for unlimited access to our reporting from across Africa.