EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. – Wave Maker Labs, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based food tech incubator that launched Miso Robotics, has launched Wing Zone Labs, a collaboration with fast-casual brand Wing Zone which specializes in made-to-order chicken wings. As a franchisee, Wing Zone Labs has signed a development agreement to open 20 Wing Zone stores in the Southern California region covering Los Angeles where it has exclusive rights. The company is aiming to raise up to $10 million in seed capital via equity crowdfunding site WAX.

Wing Zone Labs plans for initial restaurants to deploy Miso Robotics’ flagship product, Flippy 2, to operate the frying station for chicken wings and other fried menu items. The company’s goal is to fully automate its franchise stores. The first Wing Zone location owned by Wing Zone Labs will open this year.

“At Wing Zone, we live by the motto ‘flavor really fast,’ and this partnership will help us deliver on that promise to our customers,” said David Bloom, chief development and operating officer of Wing Zone. “Bringing in an innovation juggernaut like Wavemaker Labs to not only establish a one-of-a-kind franchisee but also help expand the use of tech and automation within our company is a huge step for us in our quest to create the franchise of the future.”

Wing Zone Labs will primarily be funded through its crowdfunding campaign. Capital raised is solely for Wing Zone Labs and not the overall Wing Zone Corp.

“Partnering closely with Wing Zone is a huge opportunity to be part of an incredible brand and showcase our technology at scale,” said Kevin Morris, president of Wavemaker Labs and chief financial officer of Miso Robotics. “We’re excited to help the brand maximize its output and customer experience. As a franchisee, we will also be able to evaluate and test new software and hardware in real restaurant environments to seamlessly integrate across locations.”