How’s this for a bit of regional synchronicity? This week, a pair of Chinese robotics firms secured $200 million rounds. It’s all part of a booming ecosystem that we get some insight into every so often. There are so many players in China’s robotics space it can be hard to keep track of some of the innovation over there, but these sorts of large funding rounds are a surefire way to make some waves.
The COVID-19 pandemic is anticipated to be a major acceleration point for the country, on the tail of some major manufacturing shortages that brought the world’s supply chains to a standstill. But this week’s pair of big raises point toward an adoption of automation that moves beyond manufacturing.
Image Credits: Hai Robotics
Hai Robotics grabbed the bigger headlines of the two with the . The company’s Shenzhen location puts it smack in the heart of China’s manufacturing zone, but the company’s specialty is warehouse/fulfillment robotics. It already has a decent-sized international footprint with deployment in 30 countries, including a recent deal with Booktopia, a large Australian online book retailer.
5Y Capital and Capital Today led the C and D, respectively. The rounds also featured Sequoia Capital China, Source Code Capital, VMS, Walden International and Scheme Capital. The funding will be used to further Hai’s international expansion and build out its existing presence in China.
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flew under the radar a bit. The round was led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation from CICC ALPHA and Prosperity7 Ventures. The company specializes in service robots — not dissimilar from the sorts of robo-waiters we’ve seen from California-based Bear Robots. It’s a sizable industry on its own, though the company has already begun expanding its use cases, including hotels and hospitals.
Image Credits: Keenon Robotics
Keenon says its robots have been deployed in the U.S., Europe, South Korea and Singapore, and the funding will go toward further expanding that footprint.
“We believe robotic solutions can have a profound impact across the services industry by assisting with repetitive, tedious workflows,” SoftBank’s Kentaro Matsui said in a release. “Using AI and machine learning, combined with advanced manufacturing capabilities, Keenon is building innovative robotics to help increase productivity for restaurants, hotels, and hospitals in China and globally.”
