Robotics & Automation News

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Amazon signs up Balyo to provide robotic solutions

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French robotics software startup Balyo has signed a seven-year commercial agreement with Amazon on robotic solutions.

Balyo says the deal is a “decisive step” in its development, and supports the added value of its robotic solutions and will potentially boost their deployment.

Under the agreement, Amazon would obtain the right to subscribe up to 29 per cent of Balyo’s capital depending on the level of potential future orders by Amazon up to €300 million. [Read more…] about Amazon signs up Balyo to provide robotic solutions

Vecna Robotics raises $50 million to expand business

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Vecna Robotics, the workflow orchestration and self-driving forklift provider, has raised $50 million in Series B funding.

With double-digit annual growth forecast for the mobile robot market over the next five years, the new capital will expand Vecna Robotics’ industry-leading footprint and accelerate the development of new product offerings.

This round is led by Blackhorn Ventures, with participation from new investors Highland Capital and Fontinalis Partners, and additional funding from existing investors Drive Capital and Tectonic Ventures. [Read more…] about Vecna Robotics raises $50 million to expand business

Volvo invests in autonomous car software developer Apex

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Volvo Group Venture Capital has invested in Apex.AI, a developer of software for autonomous cars and mobility.

Volvo says the investment will fund the development of a “safety-certified software framework for autonomous systems”.

Apex, a Palo Alto, California-based company founded in 2017, is building an automotive-grade version of Robot Operating System, an established open source software framework commonly used in robotics and autonomous systems research. [Read more…] about Volvo invests in autonomous car software developer Apex

Gecko Robotics raises $40 million in funding for energy infrastructure inspection robots

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Gecko Robotics has raised $40 million in funding to develop its energy infrastructure inspection robots.

A Y-Combinator alum, Gecko Robotics raised the $40 million in its Series B round, which was led by Drive Capital.

Gecko already partners with the largest brands in power, oil and gas and manufacturing industries. [Read more…] about Gecko Robotics raises $40 million in funding for energy infrastructure inspection robots

Osaro raises $16 million to develop machine learning for industrial automation

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Osaro, a developer of machine learning software for industrial automation – especially robotic picking and vision, has raised $16 million in Series B funding.

The round was conducted with participation from King River Capital, Alpha Intelligence Capital, Founders Fund, Pegasus Tech Ventures, GiTV Fund, and existing investors as well as strategics, bringing total funding to $29.3 million.

Co-founder and CEO Derik Pridmore says the funds will be used to invest in talent acquisition, international deployments, and advancing the Osaro Pick and Osaro Vision product lines to meet customer demands. [Read more…] about Osaro raises $16 million to develop machine learning for industrial automation

Teralytics raises $17.5 million for ‘world’s first intelligent mobility operating system’

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Switzerland-based Teralytics has raised $17.5 million for what is described as “the world’s first intelligent mobility operating system”.

innogy Ventures, the venture capital investment arm of innogy Innovation Hub, has invested in Teralytics as part of a $17.5 million funding round. innogy Ventures and innogy Innovation Hub are backed by innogy SE, a leading German energy company.

The round was led by Robert Bosch Venture Capital, the corporate venture capital company of the Bosch Group. Other participants included Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures, LBBW Venture Capital and Liil Ventures, as well as existing investors Atomico and Lakestar. [Read more…] about Teralytics raises $17.5 million for ‘world’s first intelligent mobility operating system’

Freedom Robotics receives $6.6 million in seed funding

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Freedom Robotics, which provides cloud and on-device software for monitoring, control and management of robots and robotic fleets, has closed a $6.6m seed round.

The funding was led by Initialized Capital, with Toyota AI Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, Andrew Miklas from S28 Capital, and James Lindenbaum, alongside existing investors Green Cow Ventur­e Capital, Justin Kan, Josh Buckley, Kevin Mahaffey, and Arianna Simpson.

Freedom Robotics creates tools and infrastructure that all robotics companies require but are not core to their product or value creation.

[Read more…] about Freedom Robotics receives $6.6 million in seed funding

Robert Bosch Venture Capital leads growth funding round in MegaRobo

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Robert Bosch Venture Capital, the corporate venture capital company of the Bosch Group, is leading a growth financing round in MegaRobo. 

The Chinese high-tech robotic company with over 100 employees is headquartered in Beijing and integrates cutting-edge machine vision and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide modular automation solutions for lab automation, smart retail and light industrial sectors.

“MegaRobo’s technology increases efficiency in production automation. Already today, robots from MegaRobo are used for special applications in the end-of-line production of household appliances at Bosch”, says RBVC managing director Dr Ingo Ramesohl.

[Read more…] about Robert Bosch Venture Capital leads growth funding round in MegaRobo

Cowen and MassRobotics agree to collaborate in robotics and artificial intelligence

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Cowen, a provider of data and information to investors, and tech startup incubator MassRobotics have agreed a partnership to bring together their extensive market knowledge to advance research into the emerging robotics and artificial intelligence industry.

Based in the Boston area, MassRobotics is a global hub for robotics, and the collective work of a group of engineers, rocket scientists, and entrepreneurs focused on the needs of the robotics community.

Jeffrey Solomon, CEO of Cowen, says: “The robotics and artificial intelligence industry is a rapidly expanding market, and one that will define the advancement of manufacturing and services on a global basis. [Read more…] about Cowen and MassRobotics agree to collaborate in robotics and artificial intelligence

Xometry raises $50 million for on-demand parts marketplace

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Xometry, the largest on-demand manufacturing marketplace, has raised $50m in equity funding, led by Greenspring Associates.

The new funding will back efforts to build a platform connecting suppliers to businesses that need prototypes and small runs of parts.

Dell Technologies Capital will also participate in the round, along with all previous venture and strategic investors including BMW i Ventures, Foundry Group, GE Ventures, Highland Capital Partners, Maryland Venture Fund and Almaz Capital. Xometry has raised a total of $113m to date.

[Read more…] about Xometry raises $50 million for on-demand parts marketplace