Key facts
- Detroit startup Grounded has raised $5 million in seed funding.
- The company customizes vans for commercial, medical, and public safety sectors.
- Grounded will now adapt both electric and gas-powered vehicles.
- A new 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Detroit will support scaling production.
- Key investors include Also Capital, The 81 Collection, and Animal Capital.
Detroit-based Grounded, founded in 2022, has secured $5 million in seed funding to expand its modular vehicle customization business. The startup, initially focused on electric vans for "van life" and later for small businesses, is pivoting to a vehicle-agnostic approach, adapting both electric and combustion-powered vans for a wider range of commercial needs.
The funding round saw participation from repeat investors Also Capital and The 81 Collection, alongside new backers Animal Capital, the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund, and "various SpaceX alumni." This capital infusion will support the opening of a new 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Detroit, where production is set to begin this month.
Founder and CEO Sam Shapiro emphasized that Grounded is not solely an electric vehicle company but focuses on creating the "smart, high-tech, modular workspace or living space" on top of a vehicle's chassis. This includes the design, materials, power system, and software that transform vehicles into mobile healthcare units, command centers, camper vans, or coffee shops.
Grounded has already attracted clients across commercial sectors, including Colgate and Nokia, as well as medical institutions like Wayne State University Medical and the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii. The company is also seeing notable growth from food and beverage and public safety customers, according to Chief Product Officer Nadia Meyer.
The strategic shift to include gas-powered vehicles was partly influenced by the discontinuation of GM's BrightDrop and Ford's scaled-back electric Transit plans, as well as broader challenges in the U.S. EV market. This flexibility allows Grounded to cater to customers not yet ready for electric vehicle infrastructure.