EP 226: Relai

On this episode, I was joined by two of the co-founders of Relai, Miles Mufuka Martin and Dillon Spann. Relai is a startup looking to create a last-mile delivery platform that gets products to the consumer in less than an hour from the time of ordering. We discuss how the idea of Relai came about, how it will work, and how it has evolved since their initial brainstorming session.

Key Takeaways

• Relai was started out of the realization that it was difficult to get typical consumer goods within a short period of time. Dillon talks about how he needed a pair of shorts but he had to drive an hour to get them and if he had ordered them he would have to wait at least 2 days to receive them. When Miles and Dillon started to talk about this they came across some interesting data that the majority of products that people buy are within a 5-7 mile radius of where they are located but yet it still takes days to be delivered to them. With Relai they are looking to have products taken directly from the brick and mortar location and delivered by people (called sprinters) on foot, on bikes, or other means to storage lockers or direct to residences.
• The name Relai comes from Miles and Dillon’s history as relay track runners in college. That is how they got connected and eventually built this idea out. Much like the baton is passed in a track race, Relai will be passing the package from one sprinter to another or from a sprinter to the delivery point. With this concept, they are able to provide a very quick delivery service targeting under one hour. As we discuss the concept, it is clear that they have thought this through and how they will save on time. The sprinters will be utilizing bikes or walking on their own feet which will avoid them getting caught in traffic or other stoppages like traffic lights.
• Miles and Dillon are in the process of beta testing Relai in Richmond, Virginia right now and plan to roll it out in full in 2022. At that time their initial rollout will be in Nashville and Richmond but be sure to look out for Relai coming to your town. They are also looking to onboard more retailers and sprinters so be sure to get in touch if you are interested in being a part of this next iteration of last-mile delivery.

Listen to the episode below and let us know if you need one-hour delivery in the comments.