robotics
Ripcord, the Steve Wozniak-backed file scanning startup, is raising new cash
Ripcord, a startup developing robots that can automatically digitize paper records, is hoping to raise $20 million to $25 million in a new funding round that would value the company…
[A version of this post appeared in TechCrunch’s robotics newsletter, Actuator. Subscribe here.] The last time I’d spoken with the Nvidia at any length about robotics was also the last…
Open Robotics’ ROS is safe despite Alphabet buying OSRC, says Intrinsic
The acquisition of Open Robotics received a mixed reception across the industry. “The aim of Intrinsic is to democratize the access to robotics,” says Wendy Tan White, CEO of Intrinsic.
Agility Robotics: Our robot won’t be armed or take your jobs
Agility Robotics will soon be able to make 10,000 bipedal humanoid robots per year and claims it is creating jobs rather than taking them from humans.
Just in case you’re wondering what’s happening in the sectors that we’re going to talk about at Disrupt, we’ve put together a handy primer of surveys.
Like in many industries, there’s an acute shortage of security guards. This means guards still on the job have to pull extra hours and are more likely to make mistakes…
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Should the US implement a ‘robot tax’?
A version of this story original appeared in TechCrunch’s weekly robotics newsletter, Actuator. Subscribe here. A big and often unremarked upon aspect of being a reporter is knowing your audience. It’s not always as straightforward as it sounds — particularly when writing about tech. You’re always walking that tightrope between over- and under-explaining. Assuming too…
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Korean internet giant Naver explores robotics, AI and autonomous driving
In July last year, Naver, maker of the search engine known as the “Google of South Korea,” opened its new second headquarters, Naver 1784. The building’s name refers to a year commonly associated with the Industrial Revolution. Inside you’ll find a testament to automation’s growing global influence, in the form of 100 autonomous robots. The robots,…
TechCrunch+ Roundup: Creator economy VC survey, B2C fintech growth strategy, web3 demo day
There are a million reasons why startups fail, and there are only a few reasons why they succeed.
The architecture, engineering and construction industries involve giant concrete molds that are expensive, slow to manufacture and often only used a few times before being disposed. Robots-as-a-service startup SAEKI says…
We’ve identified five lessons that the next generation of robotics founders can take from the successes and failures of the AV industry.
I certainly wouldn’t go so far as to say the robotics industry is recession-proof, but it’s remained remarkably stable through a turbulent few years of economic instability. Automation was accelerated…
Orangewood wants to build a cheap, programmable robotic arm for manufacturing
In late 2017, three entrepreneurs — Abhinav Das, Aditya Bhatia and Akash Bansal — came to the mutual realization that the final steps of building furniture — specifically painting and…
Welcome to Startups Weekly. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Friday. Not to get all GrumpyManYellsAtCloud.gif, but I’m getting pretty tired of the myth of the…
Having worked in the food industry for several years, Shirley Chen saw firsthand the challenges of managing staffing and training for restaurant expansion. So when she met her future co-founders,…
ForwardX this week announced an additional $30 million in funding, bringing the Beijing-based firm’s Series C up to $61 million. The funding follows an initial tranche announced way back in…
Announcing the Hardware Stage agenda at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023
In the 7.5 years I’ve served as TechCrunch’s hardware editor, I’ve been struck by just how profoundly deep and wide this category can be. Scope is one of the most…
In the crowded enterprise robotics space, the ability to secure key clients is a crucial differentiator for companies. In the case of Hong Kong–based Rice Robotics, the important order has…
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Remembering Joanne Pransky
I didn’t know Joanne Pransky personally, so when news of her death broke late last month, I reached out to my LinkedIn followers, asking if any of them did. “Yes,” answered one, “didn’t everyone?” Over decades of work, Pransky has left a lasting impact on the industry, bringing a uniquely human element to conversations about…
Inventory robots are having a moment. Two days back, Swiss firm Verity announced an $11 million raise. That followed a $20 million round from fellow drone inventory startup B Garage,…
Rocsys wants to automate EV charging, starting in ports and yards
America’s logistics sector is becoming more electrified and autonomous, and Rocsys, a Dutch startup, wants to hit that sweet spot in the middle. Rocsys has created a robotic arm that…
SoftBank backs Japanese robotics startup Telexistence in $170M funding round
SoftBank is backing Japanese robotics startup Telexistence, making good on the tech giant’s recent pledge to go back on the investment offensive in light of the current AI hype. Tokyo-based Telexistence…
This week in robotics: Teaching robots chores from YouTube, robot dogs at the border and drone consolidation
AI’s grabbing headlines, but the robotics field is still making a significant impact in the real world — and this is your briefing on our latest coverage of the growing…
The United States Department of Homeland Security caused a stir last February when it revealed that it was exploring deploying robot dogs on the U.S./Mexico border. “The southern border can…
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Meet me at the dog run
You’ll have to forgive me, I spent most of the morning thinking and writing about VR. In the lead-up to Apple’s expected headset announcement at WWDC next week, I did a one-person crash course into the world of extended reality, from its birth in the laboratories in the ’50s and ’60s to the current crop…
Serve Robotics to deploy up to 2,000 sidewalk delivery bots on Uber Eats
Serve Robotics, the Uber spinout that builds autonomous sidewalk delivery robots, is expanding its partnership with Uber Eats. The Nvidia-backed startup will now deploy up to 2,000 of its cute…
Venture leasing: The unsung hero for hardware startups struggling to raise capital
Just because a capital-intensive company needs funding, it doesn’t have to accept the first financing offer it receives.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised to see someone skate-walking down the halls of Detroit’s Huntington Place convention center. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of interesting stuff happening at…
TechCrunch+ roundup: Psychedelics VC survey, how to run an AI pilot, Europe’s robotics renaissance
Psychedelic startups want to make psilocybin, ketamine and other substances more mainstream, but how are investors approaching this space?
Europe could be on the cusp of a golden era in robotics. Here’s why
For Europe, it seems like the old wisdom of not putting all of your eggs in one basket could be their biggest competitive advantage.
