Liffo is a company that sells an AI-based autonomous cooking robot designed to prepare meals from start to finish without human supervision. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Liffo founder and co-CEO Massimiliano Delsante to gain a deeper understanding of the company.
Massimiliano Delsante’s Background
What is Massimiliano Delsante’s background? Delsante said:
“I come from over three decades of digital transformation and innovation. I started my career as a methodology consultant, application architect, and IT researcher. I later found and led multiple technology ventures, including the process-mining company myInvenio, which IBM acquired. Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by the challenge of turning advanced technology into real-world impact. But technology is only one side of my story — the other is food. Cooking has always been my second great passion, and Liffo represents the perfect bridge between these two worlds: robotics, AI, and culinary tradition coming together to redefine how we cook.”
Formation Of The Company
How did the idea for the company come together? Delsante shared:
“The idea sparked over ten years ago while watching my friend Anna use a traditional kitchen robot. I realized she wasn’t being freed from the process — the machine was simply instructing her, and she was still doing the work. That moment planted the seed: we can do better than this. Years later, after building a career in software automation and the acquisition of my previous company by IBM, I knew the time had come for a new challenge. Liffo was born out of the ambition to create a truly autonomous cooking experience.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for Liffo so far? Delsante reflected:
“Several memories stand out. The first was bringing Liffo to a video shoot for the launch campaign — it felt like watching your child take their first independent steps. Another unforgettable moment came at the Fuorisalone in Milan: seeing 400 people gathered around four Liffo robots cooking autonomously for the first time was an emotion I’ll never forget.”
“But perhaps the most powerful memory was at CES in Las Vegas, when I watched my son Alessandro present Liffo on stage. It was the clearest sign that this passion can be passed on from generation to generation — carrying forward and sharing our Italian identity and culture with the world.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Delsante explained:
“Liffo isn’t just another kitchen appliance — it’s a world first. We are the pioneers of fully autonomous cooking. Unlike multifunctional devices that still require constant user intervention, Liffo is disruptive: You load the ingredients and set when you want to eat, and it handles everything — dosing, mixing, stirring, cooking, and even keeping ingredients fresh for up to 24 hours before preparation. It’s the first product that truly gives people back their time without compromising on food quality.”
Challenges Faced
Have you faced challenges in the foodtech sector? Delsante acknowledged:
“Absolutely. Foodtech is a highly regulated industry. Achieving compliance across safety standards, food-contact materials, and certifications like CE and FCC demanded enormous effort. We overcame this by building a strong network of Italian and international partners — engineers, designers, and culinary institutions — ensuring technical excellence and culinary credibility.”
Evolution Of The Company’s Technology
How has Liffo’s technology evolved since launching? Delsante noted:
“From the outset, our vision was crystal clear: complete autonomy. The challenge was to achieve this step by step, prototype after prototype, while keeping the device the size of a standard kitchen appliance. Essentially, we condensed what normally takes an entire kitchen into a single unit — pots, pans, burners, and even refrigeration. Every iteration required solving enormous engineering challenges, and that persistence shaped Liffo into its current product.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of Liffo’s most significant milestones? Delsante cited:
“Key milestones include our first public unveiling at CES in Las Vegas, the Fuorisalone in Milan with the opening of preorders in Italy, partnerships with Accademia Gualtiero Marchesi, Fratelli Desideri, and Casa Artusi, and successful cooking shows across Italy. Another highlight was joining Aprilia at MotoGP events, where Liffo cooked live for international audiences — an actual demonstration of scalability and reliability in high-pressure settings.”
Customer Success Stories
When asking Delsante about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“As Liffo is still in the preorder phase, we don’t yet have public customer stories. What we do have are the experiences of our internal beta testers, including chefs and passionate home cooks. Many are already becoming ‘dependent’ on Liffo: They let it prepare their favorite meals while they spend time with their families or focus on other passions. These early experiences show exactly what Liffo promises: more time without losing the pleasure of real, home-cooked food.”
Funding
When asking Delsante about the company’s funding details, he revealed:
“We’ve invested over €10 million in R&D, supported by a strong network of Italian industrial partners and leading banking institutions. This combination of technological and financial backing has allowed us to bring Liffo from concept to reality with confidence. Our upcoming Kickstarter campaign in the U.S. will be both a funding milestone and an opportunity to validate the product with a global community of early adopters.”
Target Market
What market is Liffo targeting? Delsante assessed:
“We are addressing the global smart kitchen appliances market, which is projected to surpass $60 billion by 2030. Within that, the niche of fully autonomous cooking is set to grow rapidly as consumers look for convenience, health, and sustainability in their everyday lives.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates Liffo from competitors? Delsante affirmed:
“Most cooking devices today are assistants — they guide you step by step, but you still need to chop, stir, monitor, and intervene. At best, they save you effort; at worst, they become another task in your kitchen.”
“Liffo is different. It is not an assistant but a true autonomous cook. You load the ingredients and set when you want to eat, and Liffo takes care of everything else: dosing, mixing, stirring, cooking — and even keeping your ingredients fresh and preserved for up to 24 hours before preparation. This means there will be no interruptions during cooking, no fear of overcooking or forgetting, and more freedom to spend time with your family or passions, while knowing a real meal will be ready when you want it.”
“In short, Liffo is the first product that doesn’t just make cooking easier — it removes the need to cook altogether, without sacrificing freshness or authenticity.”
Future Company Goals
What are the company’s future goals? Delsante concluded:
“Our immediate focus is on a successful Kickstarter launch in the U.S., validating the market and connecting with early adopters. Medium-term, we aim to expand our recipe ecosystem in collaboration with culinary institutions and integrate Liffo with smart home systems. Long-term, our vision is global: making autonomous cooking as common in households as dishwashers are today.”
