Else Labs

About Else Labs

Else Labs develops autonomous cooking solutions designed for commercial kitchens. The Ottawa-based company was founded in 2013 by Khalid Aboujassoum, Tariq Maksoud, and Abdulrahman Khamis. Aboujassoum's journey began during his time as an engineering student at the University of Ottawa when he sought a way to prepare healthy meals without sacrificing time. This led to an early concept called 'Tahi', which won the fourth season of the Stars of Science competition in 2012.

The company initially developed a smart cooking robot for households called 'Oliver'. After observing significant interest from the commercial sector, Else Labs shifted its focus and launched 'The Oliver Fleet' in July 2022. This product is a scalable system of autonomous cooking units designed to withstand the demands of professional kitchens, automating tasks to address labor shortages and increase efficiency. The Fleet is a compact and versatile solution that can handle over 85% of an average catering menu, executing cooking techniques like sautéing, boiling, and braising. It manages ingredient dispensing, temperature control, and stirring, ensuring consistent meal quality. The system is operated via an app that provides access to a recipe library, inventory control, and fleet management tools.

Else Labs targets a diverse client base, including restaurants, cafes, ghost kitchens, catering companies, healthcare facilities, and remote sites like marine vessels and oil rigs. The business model centers on providing a comprehensive solution that includes the hardware (Oliver units) and a supporting software ecosystem to streamline kitchen operations. To date, the company has raised $1.8 million in funding over three rounds, with investors including VentureSouq and Yellow Services, a subsidiary of Qatar Development Bank.