{
  "id": 1686280,
  "title": "Detroit startup Grounded raises $5M to customize electric and gas-powered vans",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/detroit-startup-grounded-raises-5m-to-customize-electric-and-gas",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-18T10:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechCrunch",
    "slug": "techcrunch",
    "url": "https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/18/detroit-startup-grounded-raises-5m-to-customize-electric-and-gas-powered-vans/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 2022, Detroit-based startup Grounded was founded with the goal of customizing electric vans such as Ford's E-Transit and General Motors' BrightDrop for the \"van life\" community using a modular, \"Lego-like\" system. However, as the electric vehicle market faced challenges with major manufacturers discontinuing specific models, Grounded shifted its focus to customize vans for small businesses. Recently, the company announced it has secured a $5 million seed round from several investors, including Also Capital, The 81 Collection, Animal Capital, the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund, and SpaceX alumni. Grounded has also expanded its manufacturing capabilities with a new 50,000-square-foot facility in Detroit, where it will scale its modular design business to cater to various fleet needs, including both electric and gas-powered vehicles. The company has already attracted clients from sectors such as commercial, medical, and veterinary industries. Grounded's CEO, Sam Shapiro, views GM's cancellation of BrightDrop as a catalyst for the company's pivot towards gas-powered vehicles, allowing them to cater to customers who may not have been ready for electric vehicles due to infrastructure concerns. Grounded's innovative approach focuses on creating a smart, high-tech, modular workspace or living space on top of the chassis, tailoring the design, materials, power system, and Grounded+ software to turn a vehicle into a modern, connected mobile healthcare vehicle, command center, camper van, coffee shop, and more.",
  "summary": "The company has shifted from making van-life builds to custom outfitting vehicles for small businesses, all while the EV landscape in the US changed dramatically.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}