Billions Raised for Humanoids, Delivery Bots & Robotic Bee Hives
New machines from Cartken, Hexagon, Xrobotics and Halter
June was such a busy month for robotics and automation that we’ve decided to take a new approach. We’ve broken up this round-up into subsections, so eager readers can hone in on the types of stories they’re most interested in. Send us a tip if you like it or not.
Speaking of tips, the Ottomate team was particularly amused by a recent encounter with a self-checkout machine at LAX airport. At the end of transaction — which was “automated” in the sense that the customer had to do all the work — the screen helpfully asked how much of a tip we’d like to add. Full disclosure: we declined.
Delivery Robotics, Drones & AVs
Coco Robotics raised $80 million for its sidewalk delivery bots, with funding from Sam and Max Altman, Pelion Venture Partners and Offline Ventures.
Deliveroo and Manna launch drone-based food delivery in Dublin, Ireland.
Wingcopter partners with Ansys for aerial delivery of medical supplies.
Cartken integrates Stirling Ultracold’s technology for transporting good at temperatures as low as -86°C (-122.8°F). Cartken also extended its partnership with Mitsubishi’s Melco Mobility Solutions.
Amid middling Texas debut of robotaxi service, Tesla stages autonomous delivery of vehicle from factory to customer.
Zoox begins manufacturing robotaxis in Haywood, CA.
Humanoids
Tesla loses Milan Kovac, head of its robotics division, after suing a former Optimus engineer over theft of trade secrets.
Humanoid teases its upcoming HMND 01 prototype, showing humans and machines coexisting.
1X Technologies releases Redwood, an AI model for its NEO humanoid.
Germany’s Neura Robotics is raising €1 billion for humanoid tech, after showing off its new Gen3 4NE1.
China’s Unitree raised a Series C, valuing the startup at 12 billion CNY ($1.7 billion USD.) The $97.6 million was led by China Mobile, Tencent, Alibaba, Ant Group, Geely Capital, HongShan Capital and Jinqiu Capital.
Hexagon AB launched its AEON humanoid, specializing in auto, aerospace, transport, manufacturing, warehousing and logistics.
Back of House Automation
Xrobotics raised $2.5M from FinSight Ventures, SOSV, MANA Ventures, and Republic Capital. Its $1,300 per month pizza robots currently cook 25,000 pies per month.
Tokyo-based TechMagic is bringing its I-Robo2 to the United States; the machine can cook stir-fry dishes like fried noodles, pad thai and fried rice.
Farm & Sourcing Automation
SoCal-based Shinkei Systems raised $22M for automated seafood harvesting.
New Zealand’s Halter raised $100M for smart cow collars, enabling virtual fencing for ranchers.
Industry Trends
Cybernetics Ventures is raising a $100M fund for robotics and automation. Based in Massachusetts, its team brings experience from the likes of iRobot, Kiva Systems/Amazon Robotics, Flagship Ventures and Locus Robotics.
After preaching the gospel of automation and then being seemingly sacrificed at the alter, Starbucks has decided to go in the opposite direction: the coffee giant is doubling down on expanding and training its workforce.
Trump administration issues executive order: Unleashing American Drone Dominance.
NHTSA releases new guidelines to streamline AV exemptions.
Kiosks & Self-Checkout
Appetronix debuted its new autonomous kiosks for preparing Asian and Mexican food in airports, hospitals, office towers, stadiums and universities.
In Other News
Miso Robotics partners with Roboworx. Amazon releases new foundation model after deploying millionth robot. BlueRedGold raises €2.73 million for robotics-powered, indoor saffron cultivation. SoftBank proposes $1 trillion robotics plant in Arizona. Dara Khosrowshahi (CEO, Uber) and Alex Kendall (CEO, Wayve) discuss autonomous vehicles. Beewise’s robotic beehives are fighting colony collapse.