The ongoing coronavirus has inflicted severe damage to business enterprises across the world, but robotic research and merchandising registers supreme profit making, as there are credible reports that a mammoth $1.9 billion of funding has been sought by robotic companies which are into prominence, as recently as in July 2020. Among such autonomous product range soaked in prime technologies like AI and which show in-depth leaning towards Deep Learning, autonomous vehicles top the list, while there are present drones, industrial robots and digitized healthcare assistants too.
During the second quarter of 2020, decline is seen in venture funding in north America and in South Asian countries, but Tech And Environment holds inside info indicating that around 47 transactions have taken place involving the aforementioned amount.
Such is indeed an exciting scenario that investors still harbours a knee-deep fantasy towards automation sector, as lockdowns are lifted in some places, across the world.
Below we present a handful of robotic companies which are backed by funding in July and such amounts are well in public domain.
Robotics investments, July 2020
| Company | Amt. (M$) | Type | Investor, partner | Date | Technology |
| Activ Surgical Inc. | 15 | venture | Artis Ventures | July 16 | surgical robots |
| Aidin Robotics | seed | FuturePlay | July 21 | sensors | |
| AMBPR | share purchase | CGG | July 8 | infrastructure repair | |
| Anduril Industries Inc. | 200 | Series C | Andreessen Horowitz | July 21 | drone surveillance |
| Beijing Rosenbot Technology Co. | pre-Series A | July 7 | surgical robots | ||
| Botsandus | 5.96 | Series A | Kindred Capital, Capnamic Ventures | July 6 | greeter robot |
| Braintree Technologies | investment | Petronas Ventures | July 1 | drone inspection | |
| Chenjing Technology | angel | Volcanics Venture | July 23 | spatial intelligence | |
| Dexterity Inc. | 56.2 | Series A | Kleiner Perkins | July 21 | pick and pack |
| Ecoppia | 40 | investment | CIM Group | July 21 | solar panel cleaning |
| Efort Intelligent Equipment Co. | 118 | IPO | July 7 | industrial automation | |
| Emoshape Inc. | investment | Ascend Venture Capital | July 17 | emotion chip | |
| Flexiv Ltd. | Series A | Plus and Play | July 29 | industrial automation | |
| FLIR Systems Inc. | 494 | notes offering | July 20 | mobile robots | |
| GoTo Global | 19 | Series B | Adam Neumann | July 15 | autonomous vehicles |
| Guangzhou Xiaopeng Motors Technology Co. | 500 | Series C | Aspex Management, Sequoia Capital China, Hillhouse Capital, Coatue Management | July 18 | autonomous vehicles |
| Huake Precision (Beijing) Medical Technology Co. | investment | Medtronic | July 20 | surgical robots | |
| iMotion Automotive Technology Co. | 14 | Series B1 | CCB International | July 2 | autonomous vehicles |
| InOrbit Inc. | 2.6 | seed | ANIMO Ventures | July 9 | cloud management |
| Inovo Robotics | 1.89 | investment | Foresight Group, Williams Advanced Engineering | July 29 | collaborative robot |
| Kemaro AG | Series A | Spicehaus Swiss Venture Fund | July 10 | cleaning robots | |
| Lightelligence | Series A+ | Baidu Ventures | July 6 | optical chips | |
| MastOR SAS | 3.37 | investment | Sofinnova Partners MD Start III Fund | July 2 | surgical robots |
| mvmtAI | pre-seed | July 13 | machine vision | ||
| Nanjing Estun Automation Co. | 143 | share sale | China General Technology (Group) Holdings Co., Hubei Xiaomi Changjiang Industrial Fund Partnership | July 24 | industrial automation |
| NDR Medical Technology Pte. Ltd. | 5.76 | Series A | Microport Scientific Corp. | July 20 | surgical robots |
| Propellor Aero | 18 | Series B | Blackbird Ventures | July 21 | drone inspection |
| Pudu Technology Inc. | 15 | Series B | Meituaan-Dianping | July 1 | indoor delivery |
| Qinglei Technology | investment | ZhenFund, Ceyuan Venture | July 6 | radar sensors | |
| ReWalk Robotics Ltd. | 9 | share sale | July 1 | exoskeleton | |
| RightHand Robotics Inc. | 6 | debt financing | July 6 | grippers | |
| Sea Machines Robotics Inc. | 14.9 | Series B | Huntington Ingalls Industries | July 22 | marine robotics |
| Seizet | Series A | Bytedance | July 31 | machine vision | |
| Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. | 46.29 | share sale | July 5 | processors | |
| Skydio Inc. | 100 | Series C | Next47 | July 14 | drones |
| Somatic | 0.125 | seed | July 2 | cleaning robots | |
| Standard Robots Co. |
Robotics investments, July 2020
| Company | Amt. (M$) | Type | Investor, partner | Date | Technology |
| Activ Surgical Inc. | 15 | Venture | Artis Ventures | July 16 | surgical robots |
| Aidin Robotics | Seed | FuturePlay | July 21 | sensors | |
| AMBPR | share purchase | CGG | July 8 | infrastructure repair | |
| Anduril Industries Inc. | 200 | Series C | Andreessen Horowitz | July 21 | drone surveillance |
| Beijing Rosenbot Technology Co. | pre-Series A | July 7 | surgical robots | ||
| Botsandus | 5.96 | Series A | Kindred Capital, Capnamic Ventures | July 6 | greeter robot |
| Braintree Technologies | Investment | Petronas Ventures | July 1 | drone inspection | |
| Chenjing Technology | Angel | Volcanics Venture | July 23 | spatial intelligence | |
| Dexterity Inc. | 56.2 | Series A | Kleiner Perkins | July 21 | pick and pack |
| Ecoppia | 40 | Investment | CIM Group | July 21 | solar panel cleaning |
| Efort Intelligent Equipment Co. | 118 | IPO | July 7 | industrial automation | |
| Emoshape Inc. | Investment | Ascend Venture Capital | July 17 | emotion chip | |
| Flexiv Ltd. | Series A | Plus and Play | July 29 | industrial automation | |
| FLIR Systems Inc. | 494 | notes offering | July 20 | mobile robots | |
| GoTo Global | 19 | Series B | Adam Neumann | July 15 | autonomous vehicles |
| Guangzhou Xiaopeng Motors Technology Co. | 500 | Series C | Aspex Management, Sequoia Capital China, Hillhouse Capital, Coatue Management | July 18 | autonomous vehicles |
| Huake Precision (Beijing) Medical Technology Co. | Investment | Medtronic | July 20 | surgical robots | |
| iMotion Automotive Technology Co. | 14 | Series B1 | CCB International | July 2 | autonomous vehicles |
| InOrbit Inc. | 2.6 | Seed | ANIMO Ventures | July 9 | cloud management |
| Inovo Robotics | 1.89 | Investment | Foresight Group, Williams Advanced Engineering | July 29 | collaborative robot |
| Kemaro AG | Series A | Spicehaus Swiss Venture Fund | July 10 | cleaning robots | |
| Lightelligence | Series A+ | Baidu Ventures | July 6 | optical chips | |
| MastOR SAS | 3.37 | Investment | Sofinnova Partners MD Start III Fund | July 2 | surgical robots |
| mvmtAI | pre-seed | July 13 | machine vision | ||
| Nanjing Estun Automation Co. | 143 | share sale | China General Technology (Group) Holdings Co., Hubei Xiaomi Changjiang Industrial Fund Partnership | July 24 | industrial automation |
| NDR Medical Technology Pte. Ltd. | 5.76 | Series A | Microport Scientific Corp. | July 20 | surgical robots |
| Propellor Aero | 18 | Series B | Blackbird Ventures | July 21 | drone inspection |
| Pudu Technology Inc. | 15 | Series B | Meituaan-Dianping | July 1 | indoor delivery |
| Qinglei Technology | Investment | ZhenFund, Ceyuan Venture | July 6 | radar sensors | |
| ReWalk Robotics Ltd. | 9 | share sale | July 1 | exoskeleton | |
| RightHand Robotics Inc. | 6 | debt financing | July 6 | grippers | |
| Sea Machines Robotics Inc. | 14.9 | Series B | Huntington Ingalls Industries | July 22 | marine robotics |
| Seizet | Series A | Bytedance | July 31 | machine vision | |
| Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. | 46.29 | share sale | July 5 | processors | |
| Skydio Inc. | 100 | Series C | Next47 | July 14 | drones |
| Somatic | 0.125 | Seed | July 2 | cleaning robots | |
| Standard Robots Co. | 14.3 | Series B | Lightspeed China Partners, Source Code Capital | July 31 | industrial automation |
| Taranis-Visual Ltd. | 30 | Series C | Vertex Growth, Orion Fund | July 21 | drone data |
| Tianjin Deepinfar Occean Technology | 17 | Series B+ | SDIC, Minsheng Securities, Tianjin TEDA Science and Technology Investment | July 10 | marine robotics |
| TransEnterix Inc. | 13 | stock sale | July 1 | surgical robots | |
| TuSimple LLC | Investment | Navistar International Corp. | July 15 | autonomous trucks | |
| Zhaoguan Electronics | 43.05 | Investment | July 24 | AI processors |
Cars And Trucks With Self Driven Approach Are Highlights:
There has been an influx of over $533 million in the month of July in autonomous vehicle technologies while the month of June witnessed biggest deal of $500 million as Series C funding, which was with Xiaopeng Motors Technology Co located in China. This is a mega manufacturer of electric and self-driving cars which is said to have raised around $400 million in the month of November last year and now in August 2020 has gone to declare an initial public offering of $100 million in NYSE.
Adam Neumann, who laid foundation of WeWork, directed Series B investment in GoTo Global, which is an Israel based company providing ride-sharing services while upholding relentless research in autonomous vehicles. Likewise, in China, Suzhou based iMotion Automative Technology ltd is able to gather $14 million, which is amount earmarked for enlarging the production bubble of driving systems which are automated.
In same way, Navistar International Corp, (a prominent vehicle producer) has signed a deal with TuSimple LLC, located in San Deigo and which develops trucks that are self-driven. Navistar is said to have made an investment of some undisclosed amount but at Tech And Environment, we are made known this is about $250 million meant for increasing the production cycle.
July 2020 Has Been A Golden Month For Industrial Automation:
Robots, developed for manufacturing as well as the ones to be put in supply chain frameworks, has been in high demand in recent months and the agencies supplying such robots have managed to raise around $325 million in July. Clearly, as shutdowns have been lifted in various places, following corona virus outbreak, need for automation has been strengthened to suppress cost and production time. Here, Estun Automation Co, based in Nanjing, China and which is into supplying industrial controls and robots to weld, declared to have been raising $143 million in July 2020.
Further, Wuhu, again from China declared an initial public offering (IPO) of $118 million at Shanghai stock exchange, meant for Star Market. Then, Shenzhen based Standard Robots also gathered momentum by raising $14.3 million as Series B funding targeted towards mobile robotic systems in logistics.
The same profitable month (July 2020) Dexterity Inc, located in California, secured $56.20 million in Series A funding meant to pick and pack through robots. Likewise, RightHand Robotics, located in Massachussets also gathered $6 million to push forth its activities.
Looking ahead, we find Inovo Robotics, tucked in Guldford, UK, proud recipient of $1.89 million and then, an unspecified amount is pushed towards Flexiv Ltd based in California and Seizet from Shenzhen, China, in form of Series A funding.
More Funds Sewed Up By Surgical Robots In July 2020
Even though there may be fewer deals for medical devices, but still, healthcare robotics companies registered a mega funding of over $61 million in July of this year. We have Activ Surgical Inc, located in Boston which raised $15 million when a venture funding plan attracted limelight, as ActivEdge, which is its surgical unit sought investment. Then, in North Carolina, USA, there appears TransEnterix Inc, which pushed $13 million in stocks and continue to function on its surgical platform which is guided by vision.
In July itself, ReWalk Robotics Ltd, which is based in Israel and makes exoskeleton, got a funding of $9 million, while in surgical robots range, NDR Medical Technology Pte Ltd in Singapore got a favour of $5.76 million in what is regarded as Series A funding and in Paris, PastOr SAS managed to raise $3.37 million for its innovative system designed to assist in laparoscopy.
Not to ignore a Beijing based firm which promulgate orthopedic surgical robot, Rosenbot Technology Co, which gathers an undisclosed amount in Series A funding and then Medtronic PLC made an investment in Huake Precision Medical Technology Co, which is also regarded by the term Sinovation.
Finally, Medtronic is also said to have gained control of Medicrea, which is located in Lyon, France and is a prominent company in spinal surgery and also a stake in Intersect ENT, which is located in Menlo Park, California and a medical device maker.
Investment Targeted Towards AI Processors, Sensors And Software:
The agencies providing Robotic components managed to gather $90 million again in the month of July while Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp is heard to have sold $46.29 million during issuance of shares and Zhaogun Electronics has attracted a major of boost of $43.05 million. Such companies are deep into developing AI processors and located in Shanghai, China.
VayaVision, which is located in Tel Aviv, Israel, has joined hands with Leddar Tech, against a hidden amount and then, Graf Industrial Corp has pulled Velodyne Lidar Inc to its side, which is lidar sensor maker, from California.
In South Korea, there is a sensor company Adin Robotics which got seed funding while Emoshaope Inc, which is emotion chip company in New York has also pulled a big funding but its amount if not known yet.
Baidu ventures has been the leader in Series A + funding for Lightelligence which is a fully functional entity on optical chips and maintains offices in Shanghai and Boston. Then, a prominent radar firm from Beijing Qinglei Technology has been blessed with an angel funding amounting to multi-million yuan, again in golden month of July itself.
In field of software, InOrbit Inc, founded in Mountain View California, declared about seed funding involving a sum of $2.6 million. This company is hailed to lend a supporting platform that is into robot fleet management and is cloud based.
Finally, Chenjing Technology located in China’s Guanghou has summed up an angel funding to regulate its spatial intelligence software. Likewise, MvmtAI also got a boost in form of pre-seed funding for its machine vision technology.
Service Robots Sweep Huge Funding In July 2020
In such a series, we have automated robots for cleaning and wait staff and such manufacturers also raised to an amount of $22 million, in the ever auspicious month of July. Pudu Technology, which is located at Shenzhen and makes robots for door to door delivery, zeroed in on a Series B round involving $15 million. Following this, we have BotsAndUs, which is robot firm located in London and attracted an amount of $5.96 million as Series A funding and has entered into a partnership with Heathrow Airport and has joined hands with British Airways too.
Clearly, the ongoing pandemic has triggered a big interest in robots designed for cleaning and disinfection and in such a lap, Somatic, located in New York sealed a seed funding worth $1,25,000 to supply robots for cleaning bathrooms while Kemaro AG which makes robots for floor scrubbing in Switzerland, also managed Series A funding to expand operations in Europe.
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