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RightHand Robotics raises $66 million in Series C funding

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RightHand Robotics, a startup developing autonomous robotic picking solutions for order fulfillment, has secured $66 million in a Series C financing.

The funding round was led by investors Safar Partners, a technology venture fund; Thomas H. Lee Partners, an investor in automation and supply chain; and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, which is part of the SoftBank Group.

Zebra Technologies, Epson and Global Brain also join this round, along with previous investors GV, F-Prime Capital, Menlo Ventures, Matrix Partners and Tony Fadell’s Future Shape. Previous rounds were led by Menlo Ventures and Playground Global. [Read more…] about RightHand Robotics raises $66 million in Series C funding

RIOS raises $28 million to automate ‘old-line industries’ with AI robotic workcells

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RIOS Intelligent Machines, a startup developing artificial intelligence-powered robotic workcells for factory automation, has raised $28 million in Series A equity funding and debt financing. 

This new round of funding, together with a $5 million venture round back in 2020, raise RIOS’ total capitalization to $33 million.

The oversubscribed Series A round was led by new deep tech investor Main Sequence, along with new major investors Yamaha Motor Ventures, Orbit Venture Partners, Hypertherm Ventures, and strong participation from existing investors Valley Capital Partners, Morpheus Ventures, Grit Ventures, and others. [Read more…] about RIOS raises $28 million to automate ‘old-line industries’ with AI robotic workcells

Verdant Robotics launches multi-action agricultural robot for ‘superhuman farming’

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Verdant Robotics has launched what it says is “the first multi-action autonomous farm robot for specialty crops” which will enable “superhuman farming”.

To meet farmers’ demands for more sustainable and profitable growing practices, Verdant Robotics has expanded its robot-as-a-service (RaaS) model to ensure access for more specialty crop farmers.

Founded in late 2018 by a leading roboticist, a software engineer, and a California farmer, Verdant has raised $21.5 million to develop the industry’s first multi-action, autonomous farm-robot capable of millimeter-accurate spraying, laser weeding, and AI-based digital crop modeling. [Read more…] about Verdant Robotics launches multi-action agricultural robot for ‘superhuman farming’

BMW invests in HeyCharge to increase electric vehicle charging points at residential locations

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BMW i Ventures took a lead investment in HeyCharge, the German start-up providing electric vehicle charging stations in apartment complexes, office buildings and other infrastructure locations.

HeyCharge was in Y Combinator’s Summer 2021 batch of start-ups.

Kasper Sage, managing partner, BMW i Ventures, says: “The rapid growth of the electric vehicle market in coming years will necessitate greater infrastructure build-out of charging solutions around the globe. [Read more…] about BMW invests in HeyCharge to increase electric vehicle charging points at residential locations

Agtonomy raises another $5 million to develop technology platform for local agriculture

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Agtonomy, a hybrid autonomy and tele-assist service platform, has raised an additional $5 million in Seed II funding from strategic and venture investors Toyota Ventures, Flybridge, Hampton VC, E²JDJ and Momenta, for a total of $9 million in seed funding to date.

The startup, which is developing a platform for local agriculture, raised $4 million in its seed round from Grit Ventures, GV (formerly called Google Ventures), and Village Global, the venture firm backed by some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs including Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Michael Dell, in September last year.

This latest round will be used to accelerate development and trials of the Agtonomy platform to address the growing labor and sustainability challenges facing local agriculture. [Read more…] about Agtonomy raises another $5 million to develop technology platform for local agriculture

Apex.AI raises $56.5 million in Series B fundraising round

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Apex.AI, a company developing breakthrough safety-certified software for mobility and autonomous applications, has raised $56.5 million in a Series B fundraising round, bringing the total raised to date to $74 million.

The Series B round was led by Orillion, and included new participation from ZF, Continental, AGCO, Canaan, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Airbus Ventures, Jaguar Land Rover’s InMotion Ventures and others.

Other investments previously announced include Volvo Group Venture Capital, Toyota Ventures and HELLA Ventures, which further form Apex.AI’s world-class group of investors. [Read more…] about Apex.AI raises $56.5 million in Series B fundraising round

ForwardX Robotics raises $31 million in Series C funding round

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ForwardX Robotics, a Beijing-based developer of autonomous mobile robots for warehousing and manufacturing environments, has completed its initial Series C1 funding round, raising $31 million.

The initial round was led by Taikang Life Insurance, with Qualcomm Ventures and Starlight Capital also contributing to the round.

Only seven months after the close of its $63 million Series B round, the latest round of funding brings ForwardX to approximately $100 million in total investment since its founding in 2016. [Read more…] about ForwardX Robotics raises $31 million in Series C funding round

Rescale closes $105 million in expanded Series C funding

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Rescale, a provider of intelligent computing for digital R&D with high-performance computing built for the cloud, has raised $105 million in additional funding.

Rescale powers science and engineering breakthroughs with intelligent full-stack automation powered by the near-infinite computing capabilities of hybrid cloud and provides hybrid cloud high performance computing platform enabling intelligent computing for digital R&D.

Rescales has closed $105 million in an expanded Series C funding round, with participation from existing and new investors in the company including Sam Altman, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Fort Ross Ventures, Gaingels, Gopher, Hitachi Ventures, Initialized Capital, Keen Venture Partners, Microsoft M12, Nautilus Venture Partners, Nvidia, Prometheus Capital, Republic Labs, Samsung Catalyst Fund, Solasta Ventures, Yield Capital Partners and more. [Read more…] about Rescale closes $105 million in expanded Series C funding

Delivery robot startup Serve Robotics raises $13 million in seed funding round

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Serve Robotics, an autonomous sidewalk delivery robot company, has closed a $13 million expanded seed funding round.

The companies participating were strategic investors Uber Technologies; Delivery Hero backed DX Ventures; 7-Eleven’s corporate venture arm, 7-Ventures; and Wavemaker Partners’ food automation focused venture studio Wavemaker Labs.

The new round extends Serve’s previous seed funding and includes participation by existing seed investors Neo, Western Technology Investment, and Scott Banister among others. [Read more…] about Delivery robot startup Serve Robotics raises $13 million in seed funding round

Medical robotics startup Clarapath raises $32 million in additional funding

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Clarapath, a robotics startup aimed at catalyzing change in the way pathology laboratories process human and animal tissues, has undertaken follow-on financing, extending its Series B round with an additional $15.5 million in funding, following the previous close of $16 million in Series B funding.

The round included The 4100 Group (the investment arm of Delta Dental), East Post Road Ventures (the investment arm of White Plains Hospital), Epiphron Capital, Northwell Ventures, P5 Health Ventures, and participation from other strategic organizations.

This brings the total raised to date by Clarapath to more than $38 million. [Read more…] about Medical robotics startup Clarapath raises $32 million in additional funding