Zipline podcast: launched in Rwanda because US banned autonomous flight, now worth $21.5B
Madisonkanna · x · 2026-11-11
The Method E1 interviews Zipline co-founder and CEO Keller Cliffton on building the drone delivery company from Rwanda to a $21.5B valuation over 12 years. Autonomous flight was illegal in US airspace when they started, and most investors 'weren't willing to invest in illegal things,' so they launched in Rwanda flying blood to 21 hospitals. Covers a UPenn study showing a 51% drop in maternal mortality, why each 10x jump in scale breaks everything, and the case for 50 billion US instant deliveries.
Related event: Zipline Founder Recalls Journey from Rwanda to $21.5B Valuation(2 posts)→
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