PickPad's Order Pickup System Wins RTN Start-Up Alley 2025

The RTN Start-Up Alley competition, at MURTEC 2025: Experience Matters, drew some of the most promising new ideas in restaurant technology, offering a glimpse at the future of the industry. The competition began with 15 start-ups, each showcasing their solution in the MURTEC exhibit hall for evaluation by a panel of industry experts, culminating in a final onstage “pitch off” among three finalists.

PickPad’s Winning Solution

Ultimately, PickPad's order pickup system took the top spot after facing off with other finalists All-Day and Livelytics as the judges peppered the three solutions with questions and the audience voted on a winner.

Based in Chicago, PickPad's modular system, powered by sensors and machine learning, automates the entire order pickup process, seamlessly integrating with existing point-of-sale (POS) systems, allowing restaurants to enhance their workflows without significant changes or capital investment.

Yaro Tsyhanenko, Founder and CEO of PickPad, summed up the spirit of the competition perfectly: “For me, it’s not about the award—I truly believe all 15 amazing startups deserved it. It was an incredible opportunity to share our vision, fresh ideas, and new perspectives on the modern challenges restaurants face today.”

Key Contributors

RTN Start-Up Alley 2025 was sponsored by SageNet, whose Vice President, Innovation, Courtney Radke, noted, “We are honored to be a part of this event and for the opportunity to continue driving forward technology innovation in the restaurant industry. Hats off to the Restaurant Technology Network for bringing together an amazing group of finalists for the 5th annual Start-Up Alley at the 30th anniversary of MURTEC!”

Three judges from major restaurant brands were essential to the competition’s success:

• Cacy Bedoka-Merrifield, Principal Product Manager at Jack-in-the-Box
• Susan Lucas, Chief Information Officer at Cooper’s Hawk
• Stephanie Nardini, Vice President of IT at Jersey Mike’s

While PickPad took home the top honor, the other two finalists delivered resonant, impactful messaging as well:

• All-Day: Offering a solution tailored to the dietary restrictions and preferences of today’s guests.
• Livelytics: Delivering real-time analytics that bring restaurant sales and operations to life.

And we gratefully acknowledge the participation of the other 12 competitors, each of them brought beautiful, engaging presentations to the MURTEC exhibit hall:

• forecast.ai: An AI-powered voice agent that integrates seamlessly with existing POS systems.
• ForteSg, Inc.: Automates back-office processes from payroll to finance.
• FranchiseSEE: The ultimate platform for managing franchise operations with ease.
• InceptAI: Revolutionizing order taking with AI-driven voice technology for phone and drive-thru.
• OfOne (YC W23): AI-powered ordering and upselling solutions that elevate the dining experience.
• Realytics: AI-driven insights that decode customer behavior for better decision-making.
• SignalFlare.ai: Transforming complex data into relevant insights with a decision science framework.
• TableTouch: The table management system that boosts occupancy and server performance.
• Khumbu Systems: Simplifying integrations and connecting systems with a universal API.
• VoxAI: AI-powered voice automation that streamlines restaurant operations.
• Xenia: Workforce management and team collaboration tools that are a game-changer.
• Xina AI: Revolutionizing voice ordering in the hospitality space.

Join Us for a Deep Dive with These Innovators!

Want to hear directly from these visionary leaders? Join us on April 22 at 1 PM CT for an exclusive RTN Town Hall, where PickPad, All Day, and Livelytics will share their insights from MURTEC, discuss their solutions, and explore how emerging technologies are shaping the restaurant industry.

📅 RTN Town Hall – April 22 at 1 PM CT
 🔗 Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with the next generation of restaurant tech innovators!