AirGrub

AirGrub was a mobile application company that allowed airline passengers to pre-order meals from airport restaurants. The company was founded in 2014, with some sources indicating a 2015 founding year, by Ajit Deora and Surya Panditi. The idea for AirGrub reportedly originated from CEO Surya Panditi's own subpar food experience during a long-haul international flight, which led him to identify a gap in the market for pre-ordering airport meals. The company's team had prior experience in the food industry, with several members coming from Eat 24, an online delivery service.

The service operated through a smartphone app where travelers could input their flight details to see a list of participating restaurants in their terminal. Users could then browse menus, place an order, set a pickup time, and pay through the app. This model was designed to offer convenience to time-crunched business travelers, allowing them to skip lines and pick up their food from a designated counter. AirGrub's business model focused on enhancing the traveler's airport experience by providing a streamlined way to get quality food without the wait. The app also offered a live chat feature for customer support.

Based in Millbrae, California, AirGrub secured $1.5 million in funding over two rounds, with Streamlined Ventures being an institutional investor. At its peak, the service was available at major airports such as San Francisco (SFO), New York (JFK), and Boston (BOS). The company had ambitions to expand internationally, holding meetings with partners like Lufthansa in Germany, and was working on features like menu sorting by dietary restrictions and gate delivery. Despite its initial traction, AirGrub has since ceased operations and is considered a deadpooled company.

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