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Mashgin makes self-checkout kiosks that do not need barcodes. You set your snacks, drinks or sandwich on a tray. Cameras above it recognize every item at once and ring up the total. The machines show up in stadiums, airports, convenience stores, university dining halls and hospital cafeterias. The company that builds them is based in Palo Alto.
This profile covers how the technology works, how Mashgin grew, how it relates to Palo Alto and where you can try a kiosk nearby. Mashgin does not publish an office address and does not offer visits. The kiosks themselves are the public face of the company.
How Mashgin checkout works
A traditional self-checkout makes you find and scan each barcode. Mashgin's kiosk uses computer vision instead. The steps are simple:
- Place all your items on the tray at once, in any position.
- Cameras identify each product and show the list and total on the screen.
- Pay with a card or phone. Some sites also take cash or loyalty cards.
- Take your items and go.
The company says its system identifies items from almost any angle and does not depend on perfect packaging. In its 2022 funding release it claimed 99.9 percent identification accuracy and said multiple items could be rung up in half a second. Those are company figures. Its site in 2026 says the system has been trained on more than 1.5 billion transactions and serves more than 40 million users a month.
The pitch to venues is speed. Concession stands lose sales when lines get long, especially between innings or periods. A kiosk that rings up a tray in seconds lets one staff member watch several stations. Mashgin says kiosks can be installed in about an hour and connect to existing payment and loyalty systems.
Founding and growth
Mashgin was founded in 2013. Its 2022 press release names Mukul Dhankar as chief technology officer and co-founder. Press coverage names Abhinai Srivastava as the other co-founder and the company's chief executive. Early backers listed in that release include Y Combinator, Susa Ventures and Matrix Partners.
Growth accelerated during the pandemic, when touchless checkout became a selling point. In his 2022 quote, Dhankar said the pandemic accelerated adoption of touchless technology and that consumers now treated it as the baseline expectation. At that point the company said it had more than 800 locations and had processed more than 35 million transactions. It also said it was already profitable.
The 2022 Series B
On May 9, 2022, with a Palo Alto dateline, Mashgin announced a $62.5 million Series B round at a $1.5 billion valuation. NEA led the round. Matrix Partners also took part. Total funding reached $74.7 million. NEA's Scott Sandell said in the release that the firm was drawn by strong customer traction. The same year the company won a gold Edison Award and was named to Fast Company's list of the World's Most Innovative Companies.
Where Mashgin is used
Mashgin's home page says it is trusted by more than 5,000 locations. The venues it lists range widely:
- Stadiums and arenas. SAP Center in San Jose, Petco Park, Lumen Field, Madison Square Garden and AT&T Stadium appear on the list.
- Healthcare. Stanford Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and other hospitals use kiosks in cafeterias.
- Universities. UC Berkeley, Arizona State and Penn State are among the campuses listed.
- Travel and convenience. Airports such as Charlotte Douglas and St. Louis Lambert plus convenience store chains.
- Ski resorts. Vail and Mammoth Mountain are on the list too.
Most kiosks are run by food service operators such as Aramark, Compass Group and Sodexo, which the company named as partners in 2022.
How it compares
Retailers have tried several ways to cut checkout lines. Classic self-checkout still asks shoppers to scan each barcode. Some stores tag every item with RFID chips that a reader picks up in bulk. Others use ceiling cameras and shelf sensors so shoppers can walk out without stopping at all. Mashgin sits between those options. Shoppers still stop at a counter, but they skip the scanning. Its 2022 release stressed that the system needs no barcodes, RFID tags or special packaging, which makes it easier to drop into an existing food stand or cafe.
Mashgin and Palo Alto
Mashgin's 2022 release described the company as headquartered in Palo Alto. In 2026 its careers page lists engineering roles in product software and computer vision with Palo Alto as the location. The company offers a hybrid setup, catered lunch in the office and a flexible time off policy, according to that page. It does not list a street address.
Mashgin fits a pattern in Palo Alto's startup history: a small team that turns research ideas into a narrow, practical product. Computer vision has deep roots at Stanford and in the companies around it. The company also fits the Y Combinator route that many local founders follow. Our page on accelerators and incubators explains how those programs work.
Stanford connection
The clearest Stanford link is a customer one. Mashgin lists Stanford Medical Center among its locations, so hospital staff and visitors may meet a kiosk at a cafe there. We found no formal research partnership with the university. If you are visiting a patient, our guide to visiting Stanford Hospital covers parking and food on the medical campus.
Working at Mashgin
The careers page describes a small but growing team where each hire has a large impact. In early November 2026 its openings included a senior software engineer for product and a senior engineer for computer vision and deep learning, both in Palo Alto. Benefits listed include health coverage, equity and a 401(k) plan. Apply through the company's own page. The company also posts a recruitment fraud warning, a sign that fake job offers using its name have circulated.
For a broader look at the local market, see our guide to finding a tech job in Palo Alto.
Where to try one near Palo Alto
The easiest place to see a Mashgin kiosk is at an event. SAP Center in San Jose is listed as a customer. It sits a short walk from San Jose Diridon station, about 21 minutes from Palo Alto on an express Caltrain. PWHL San Jose plays its first game at SAP Center on December 5, 2026, so hockey fans have a new reason to go.
Good to know
- Mashgin has no showroom, store or public office in Palo Alto.
- Kiosk placement inside venues changes. Look for a tray under a camera arch at food stands.
- Support for venue operators runs through the company's website and help line, not walk-ins.
In Palo Alto itself, the Stanford medical campus is the listed location closest to downtown. For a meal in town after your visit, our coffee guide and the restaurants of downtown Palo Alto are a short ride from the hospital.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Mashgin based?
Mashgin is based in Palo Alto. Its 2022 funding announcement said the company was founded in 2013 and headquartered in Palo Alto. Its 2026 job postings list Palo Alto, California, as the location. It does not publish a public office address on its site.
How does a Mashgin kiosk work?
You place your items on the kiosk's tray. Cameras and computer vision software identify everything at once without barcodes. Then you pay by card or phone. The company says a typical checkout takes a few seconds.
Who founded Mashgin?
Mashgin's 2022 press release names Mukul Dhankar as chief technology officer and co-founder. Press coverage names Abhinai Srivastava as the other co-founder and the company's chief executive.
How much has Mashgin raised?
In May 2022 Mashgin announced a $62.5 million Series B led by NEA at a $1.5 billion valuation, with Matrix Partners also investing. That brought total funding to $74.7 million. Susa Ventures and Y Combinator were also listed as backers.
Where can I try Mashgin near Palo Alto?
Mashgin's site lists Stanford Medical Center and SAP Center in San Jose among its locations. Kiosk placement changes, so look for the tray and camera arch at food counters rather than counting on a specific stand.