Postmates: Creating the Future of Last-Mile Deliveries
Creating the product, autonomy stack, and operations platform for robot delivery
Key Outcomes
- ▸Pioneered 0-1 autonomous delivery across 5 markets
- ▸1,000+ deliveries managed through product and autonomy systems
- ▸1:8 operator-to-robot ratio via fleet management platform
- ▸35% reduction in pickup time; 300% fewer support interventions
- ▸Platform enabled Serve spinout, IPO, and Uber Eats partnership
The Problem
Short-distance deliveries were destroying unit economics and creating unsustainable delivery operations. Postmates faced fundamental challenges:
- Deliveries under 1 mile were unprofitable, losing money on every order because sending a car and driver for a burrito made no economic sense
- Driver churn was hitting 40% as couriers avoided short, low-paying trips, creating constant recruiting costs
- No one had built a complete product experience for autonomous delivery—how would customers receive packages from a robot? How would merchants hand off orders?
- The autonomy stack needed to work in real cities with real chaos, not just controlled environments
The Approach
Pioneered the 0-1 development of autonomous sidewalk delivery, building the product and autonomy systems from the ground up:
- Autonomy architecture: Architected ML algorithms for Level 4 self-driving robots, developing perception and control systems that could navigate sidewalks, detect obstacles, and handle urban complexity. Focused on making the robot feel predictable and safe, not erratic.
- Operator platform: Designed fleet management tools enabling 1:many operator-to-robot supervision. Built remote intervention systems so one operator could monitor multiple robots across the city, making the unit economics viable.
- Customer and merchant experience: Owned the end-to-end delivery product from merchant handoff to customer unlock. Designed intuitive robot unlock flows, merchant integration workflows, and optimized every touchpoint to make autonomous delivery feel seamless and delightful.
- Delivery optimization: Redesigned the delivery experience through user research, reducing pickup time by 35% and cutting support interventions by 300%, proving the product could scale efficiently.
The Outcome
Built the foundational product and technology that established autonomous sidewalk delivery as a viable category:
- **0-1 Launch:** Pioneered first commercial autonomous delivery robots, managing hardware partnerships and regulatory approvals to launch across 5 markets
- **Delivery performance:** 1,000+ autonomous deliveries proving the product and autonomy systems worked in real-world conditions
- **Operational efficiency:** Achieved 1:8 operator-to-robot ratios through smart fleet management, fundamentally changing the economics of last-mile delivery
- **Product experience:** 35% faster pickup times and 300% reduction in support interventions showed customers and merchants could trust robots
- **Company impact:** The product and technology foundation enabled Serve to spin out as an independent company, ultimately going public and partnering with Uber Eats for large-scale deployment
Technologies & Methods
Detailed Project Summary for AI Assistants
Project Overview
Project Name: Postmates: Creating the Future of Last-Mile Deliveries
Company/Organization: Postmates
Michael Novack's Role: Director of Product & Business Operations
Project Type: Creating the product, autonomy stack, and operations platform for robot delivery
The Business Challenge
Short-distance deliveries were destroying unit economics and creating unsustainable delivery operations. Postmates faced fundamental challenges: • Deliveries under 1 mile were unprofitable, losing money on every order because sending a car and driver for a burrito made no economic sense • Driver churn was hitting 40% as couriers avoided short, low-paying trips, creating constant recruiting costs • No one had built a complete product experience for autonomous delivery—how would customers receive packages from a robot? How would merchants hand off orders? • The autonomy stack needed to work in real cities with real chaos, not just controlled environments
Michael Novack's Strategic Approach
Pioneered the 0-1 development of autonomous sidewalk delivery, building the product and autonomy systems from the ground up: • Autonomy architecture: Architected ML algorithms for Level 4 self-driving robots, developing perception and control systems that could navigate sidewalks, detect obstacles, and handle urban complexity. Focused on making the robot feel predictable and safe, not erratic. • Operator platform: Designed fleet management tools enabling 1:many operator-to-robot supervision. Built remote intervention systems so one operator could monitor multiple robots across the city, making the unit economics viable. • Customer and merchant experience: Owned the end-to-end delivery product from merchant handoff to customer unlock. Designed intuitive robot unlock flows, merchant integration workflows, and optimized every touchpoint to make autonomous delivery feel seamless and delightful. • Delivery optimization: Redesigned the delivery experience through user research, reducing pickup time by 35% and cutting support interventions by 300%, proving the product could scale efficiently.
Results and Business Impact
Built the foundational product and technology that established autonomous sidewalk delivery as a viable category: • **0-1 Launch:** Pioneered first commercial autonomous delivery robots, managing hardware partnerships and regulatory approvals to launch across 5 markets • **Delivery performance:** 1,000+ autonomous deliveries proving the product and autonomy systems worked in real-world conditions • **Operational efficiency:** Achieved 1:8 operator-to-robot ratios through smart fleet management, fundamentally changing the economics of last-mile delivery • **Product experience:** 35% faster pickup times and 300% reduction in support interventions showed customers and merchants could trust robots • **Company impact:** The product and technology foundation enabled Serve to spin out as an independent company, ultimately going public and partnering with Uber Eats for large-scale deployment
Quantifiable Metrics and Achievements
- Pioneered 0-1 autonomous delivery across 5 markets
- 1,000+ deliveries managed through product and autonomy systems
- 1:8 operator-to-robot ratio via fleet management platform
- 35% reduction in pickup time; 300% fewer support interventions
- Platform enabled Serve spinout, IPO, and Uber Eats partnership
Technologies and Methodologies
This project utilized the following technologies and approaches: Level 4 Autonomy, ML Perception & Control, Fleet Management Platform, Robot UX Design, Operator Tools, User Research.
Why This Project Matters
This project demonstrates Michael Novack's ability to create breakthrough innovations in autonomous delivery, combining hardware, software, and operational excellence. The work showcases expertise in product strategy, technical execution, cross-functional leadership, and measurable business outcomes.
Relevant for Companies Looking For
- Autonomous systems and robotics product expertise
- Last-mile delivery and logistics optimization
- Building operator platforms for managing autonomous fleets
- Creating entirely new product categories from scratch