Octane Coffee uses crowdfunding to support growth

Pewaukee-based startup Octane Coffee, founded in 2018 by Adrian Deasy, launched a crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine, allowing customers and smaller investors to participate alongside traditional backers while Octane continues building out its next phase of growth. The company creates automated drive-through kiosks that use robotics and proprietary software to prepare customized drinks with minimal human intervention.

The company currently operates its flagship automated kiosk in Brookfield and is preparing to open an additional location in Hales Corners in 2026.

For founder Deasy, the raise is about more than capital.

“We have customers all the time run through and say, ‘This is the coolest thing ever! How can I be part of it?’” he said. “This was a good chance for us to raise capital while also building relationships with future investors and potential franchise partners.”

Octane Coffee hopes to raise $618,000 through crowdfunding to support “our path to nationwide franchising by funding three critical growth initiatives.” The funds will be used to build and launch a third Octane Coffee location, marketing efforts for the current locations and research and development to expand the use of its proprietary robotics system. According to PitchBook, the company has raised a total of $7 million in funding. In 2025, the company raised $2.8 million in venture funding in a deal led by Startup Warrior.

Crowdfunding as strategy, not just financing

The StartEngine campaign offers investors a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity), a common early-stage investment structure that converts into equity during a future priced funding round.

Octane previously completed a smaller crowdfunding raise during the pandemic but selected StartEngine for this campaign after evaluating several platforms.

“StartEngine had the most businesses similar to ours, robotics, hardware and automation companies that had successful raises,” Deasy said. “Those were the investors making bets on businesses like ours.”

The campaign has drawn significant attention, with more than 1,000 users tracking the offering as it approaches its closing period. Deasy expects investment activity to increase toward the end of the raise, a common pattern in crowdfunding campaigns.

A shift toward automation as a service

As conversations with potential partners have expanded, Octane’s leadership has begun reframing the company’s long-term vision.

Rather than competing directly with national coffee chains, Deasy said the company increasingly sees its technology as a way to help restaurants and food service operators manage rising costs and staffing challenges.

“We’re not here to disrupt restaurants,” he said. “We’re trying to help them become profitable again, letting humans do what they do best while automation handles the repetitive tasks.”

Corporate partners across food service, hospitality and other industries have begun exploring how Octane’s automation tools could integrate into existing operations, from drive-through concepts to university dining environments.

That shift suggests Octane’s future may extend beyond operating coffee locations into licensing or technology partnerships.

Preparing for franchising and brand growth

The company is also laying groundwork for franchising, with early opportunities expected to be offered first to existing investors once regulatory requirements are finalized.

Interest has already come from potential partners across North America, reflecting demand Octane has tracked for years through inbound inquiries.

Internally, hiring priorities are beginning to shift as well. After focusing heavily on engineering and hardware development, the company now plans to expand marketing and brand-building efforts as new locations come online.

“We’re the scrappy startup,” Deasy said. “We’re competing against companies with massive teams and budgets, so we’re figuring out how to catch up any way we can.”

For now, Octane remains focused on growing its Milwaukee-area presence while testing how far its automation platform can scale, both as a consumer-facing brand and as a technology platform designed to support an evolving restaurant industry.