strategic

Country Garden builds ‘world’s first’ robot restaurant in China

June 24, 2020 by Mai Tao Leave a Comment

Country Garden says it has built what it claims is “the world’s first-ever robot restaurant complex” in Guangdong, China.

The modern eaterie was opened on June 22 by Qianxi Robot Catering Group, a subsidiary of Country Garden. The location is Shunde, a city in China’s Guangdong province.

Powered by the latest in advanced technologies, the restaurant has separate sections for Chinese food, hot pot and fast food and features a wide selection of dishes, each one of which is delivered to the waiting diner within seconds. [Read more…] about Country Garden builds ‘world’s first’ robot restaurant in China

MassRobotics agrees strategic partnership with Thomas H. Lee Partners

June 2, 2020 by David Edwards Leave a Comment

MassRobotics has agreed a strategic partnership with private equity company Thomas H. Lee Partners.

The partnership aims to bring together their extensive market knowledge, expertise, and networks to advance the scaling of automation-related businesses across robotics and artificial intelligence startups.

Based in the Boston area, MassRobotics is one of the first and largest robotics startups escalator in the world. [Read more…] about MassRobotics agrees strategic partnership with Thomas H. Lee Partners

Mitsubishi and NTT take 30 per cent stake in HERE Technologies

June 2, 2020 by Mai Tao Leave a Comment

HERE Technologies says Mitsubishi Corporation and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation have completed their joint acquisition of a 30 per cent ownership stake in the company, after receiving regulatory approvals.

HERE welcomes Mitsubishi and NTT as strategic investors. The two companies have co-invested in HERE via their recently established, jointly owned holding company COCO Tech Holding in the Netherlands.

As a result, HERE now has nine direct and indirect shareholders: Audi, Bosch, BMW Group, Continental, Intel Capital, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, NTT and Pioneer. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi and NTT take 30 per cent stake in HERE Technologies

Volkswagen invests €450 million in battery manufacturing joint venture with Northvolt

May 25, 2020 by David Edwards Leave a Comment

Volkswagen is to construct buildings and infrastructure for the battery cell factory it has agreed to build with Northvolt. The automotive giant has made initial investment of some €450 million.

The joint venture between Volkswagen Group and the Swedish battery producer Northvolt is gaining further momentum.

It has been decided that Volkswagen itself will erect the buildings and infrastructure for the joint venture’s “Northvolt Zwei” factory that is to produce lithium-ion battery cells, in order to leverage synergies at the Salzgitter site – based on the existing Center of Excellence for Battery Cells. [Read more…] about Volkswagen invests €450 million in battery manufacturing joint venture with Northvolt

Xpeng Motor build new autonomous e-car on Nvidia computing platform

April 20, 2020 by Mai Tao Leave a Comment

Xpeng Motors, a Chinese electric vehicle and technology company, says its P7 smart electric sports sedan officially rolls out in China on April 27.

The Xpeng P7 features the Nvidia Drive AGX Xavier platform for its XPilot3.0.

Signaling the EV maker’s confidence in Nvidia’s AI compute platform, Xpeng also announced it will leverage the Drive platform for its next production model. [Read more…] about Xpeng Motor build new autonomous e-car on Nvidia computing platform

Fabric raises $110 million in new investment round backed by Kraft Heinz

February 26, 2020 by Sam Francis Leave a Comment

On-demand fulfillment services startup Fabric has raised an additional investment to its Series B round from Evolv Ventures, the investment arm of Kraft Heinz, one of the largest global food and beverage companies in the world.

Led by a team of food, startup, and venture capital veterans, Evolv Ventures is focused on strategic investments in emerging technologies across the food value chain.

Their undisclosed additional investment to the $110 million-dollar round is a resounding vote of confidence from a leading food tech investor and the iconic food company. [Read more…] about Fabric raises $110 million in new investment round backed by Kraft Heinz

Lenovo and Schneider Electric partner to develop ‘smart green manufacturing’ in China

December 2, 2019 by David Edwards Leave a Comment

Lenovo and Schneider Electric agreed a strategic partnership that will see the two companies working together on smart green manufacturing solutions for the flourishing Chinese manufacturing sector.

The partnership was unveiled at Lenovo Tech World, the company’s annual innovation summit, with Lenovo chairman and CEO, Yuanqing Yang and Schneider Electric chairman and CEO, Jean-Pascal Tricoire, there to shake hands on the deal.

Leveraging the strengths of both companies, the strategic partnerships will create powerful synergies by combining Lenovo’s Industrial Internet of Things LeapIOT solution with Schneider Electric’s smart green manufacturing solution based on EcoStruxure. [Read more…] about Lenovo and Schneider Electric partner to develop ‘smart green manufacturing’ in China

SEMICON Europa opens with smart mobility, medtech, design and talent in spotlight

November 13, 2019 by Sam Francis Leave a Comment

SEMICON Europa, Europe’s largest event connecting the entire electronics design and manufacturing supply chain – from innovation to applications – has opened in strategic co-location with productronica at Messe München, in Munich, Germany.

Themed Semiconductors Drive Smart, SEMICON Europa 2019 – November 12 to 15 – highlights the vital importance of European sectors and ecosystems in propelling the semiconductor manufacturing industry and the broader electronics design and manufacturing supply chain worldwide.

Olivier Schwab, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, kicks off the Executive Keynote Opening Ceremony with his presentation Leadership in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. [Read more…] about SEMICON Europa opens with smart mobility, medtech, design and talent in spotlight

Attabotics raises $25 million to ‘transform supply chains’

August 6, 2019 by David Edwards

Attabotics, a robotics company specialising in supply chain technology, has raised $25 million in Series B funding from financial and strategic investors.

Participants in the round included Coatue, Comcast Ventures, and Honeywell alongside returning early investors Forerunner Ventures and Werklund Growth Fund.

The new funding will go toward supporting Attabotics’ continued, explosive growth, including new hires, scaling manufacturing operations, the development of new technologies, and more. Attabotics has raised $32.7 million in funding to date. [Read more…] about Attabotics raises $25 million to ‘transform supply chains’

Kuka forms ‘strategic partnership’ with Schüco

May 21, 2019 by Sam Francis

Industrial robotics and automation company Kuka has signed what it describes as a “strategic partnership” with Schüco.

The goal of the exclusive cooperation is the joint development and implementation of automation solutions for tomorrow’s production of windows, doors, and façades.

In the initial phase, the main focus of development is the production of aluminum windows and doors. [Read more…] about Kuka forms ‘strategic partnership’ with Schüco