🌟A Note from Miles, Co-Founder & CEO @ Relai
It’s been a while since our last newsletter, and we’ve missed sharing updates with you! The past several months have been a mix of deep building, quiet wins, and big breakthroughs that set the stage for what’s next.
Relai has evolved a lot behind the scenes, and we’re genuinely excited to start showing more of what we’ve been working on. From new product launches to fresh partnerships, the next chapter is shaping up to be our most ambitious yet. Thanks for sticking with us; the best part of Relai has always been the people who believe in where we’re headed!
Cheers,
Miles
📝 What Have We been up to in 2025??
Product: Most of 2025 has been spent building Relai’s next product set. Here’s the recap:
Launched a new website to reflect our focus on building hyperlocal infrastructure.
Built PORTAL as the new central hub to monitor and manage Relai apps and Exchange Zones.
Developed a generative backend to streamline new app deployment. Now we can create a new Relai app end-to-end in less than 24 hours.
Platform: We recently celebrated 2 years since our first EZ went live! Here are highlights since entering the market:
7 cities served
10 Relai apps built
30+ Exchange Zones installed
10,000+ doors opened
Team: TJ and Miles are still the core of Relai operations, but we’re never really alone. In 2025, so many people helped keep pushing the vision forward. Special thanks to Dawn, Alexis, Rashaun, Safae, Oysik, Adrian, Haven, Kim, Derrick, Max, and Charles.
Miscellaneous: Here’s everything else that doesn’t fit neatly in the sections above:
We were accepted into the Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute Pathways Fellowship, focused on empowering entrepreneurs within the domains of robotics, manufacturing, and automation.
Relai has also been in the news:
All of the entrepreneur support we’ve received in the city has led us to officially headquarter Relai in Pittsburgh, PA!
The Latest Relai FAQs
1) How is Relai using AI? Currently, we primarily utilize AI to enhance developer efficiency, leveraging tools like Cursor and Copilot to assist with tasks such as comments, commits, and unit tests.
2) How do I bring Relai to my area? One way is to refer a potential EZ host. Another way is if we get 500 people interested in the same area, we’ll grow there directly.
3) How long does ordering a new EZ typically take? It usually takes about 4 weeks to ship hardware to a new location.
🚀 What’s Next for Relai?
Here’s the breakdown of our near-term/mid-term agenda:
More EZs in Pittsburgh: With the 412 as our new HQ, we want to increase our hometown presence. Currently, there are three in the area, and we want to hit 10 Pittsburgh Exchange Zones by the end of 2026.
Lean into Relai 3 Partners: We see Relai as building next-gen infrastructure, and want to use Relai 3 partners as the way to stretch our platform capabilities.
Funding: What Relai has accomplished by bootstrapping is incredible and a true testament that scrappiness is a competitive advantage. Now, we want to raise capital. Relai is a weird startup that doesn’t fit traditional categories, but we have a chance at velocity that only happens every few decades. If you’re interested in learning more about our funding goals, feel free to email directly [email protected].
📣 How to Support Relai?
Customer Intros & Referrals 👥
If you know someone who could benefit from Relai, please send them our way!
General info: direct to our site
Live Demo: schedule time here