In recent years, the field of industrial automation is undergoing profound changes.

Global automakers and large manufacturing companies have been the biggest users of industrial robots. But with the rapid development of technology and the reduction of costs, small and medium-sized enterprises are beginning to embrace industrial robots and target automation upgrades.

ADV151-P50 Munich-based robotics startup RobCo has announced a $42.5 million Series B funding round. This round of financing was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, a well-known venture Capital firm, with Sequoia Capital, Kindred Capital, Promus Ventures and other institutions.

The funds raised will be used to expand global distribution channels and product development, bringing RobCo’s total funding to $60 million.

RobCo was founded in 2020 by three experts including Roman Holzl, head of the Department of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at the Technical University of Munich, and currently employs more than 50 people. RobCo develops flexible robotic solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, including machine handling, dispensing, palletizing and welding. The company has a number of patented modular robot hardware, while offering low-code programming and remote management platforms that can help small and medium-sized enterprises easily implement automation.

Easy to use, greatly reducing the threshold of automation

The biggest advantage of RobCo over traditional complete ADV151-P50 machine solutions is modularity and low code.

The company’s robotic arm consists of 7-8 modular components that can be freely combined to adjust the payload and operating range according to actual needs. Remote management is possible with simple configuration on the RobCo Studio digital platform. RobCo Studio life reduces the need for specialized programming and debugging, significantly lowering the threshold for automation for smes, and the platform includes a “future-proof interface” as well as sensors and software layers to ensure hardware usage

This simple and reliable automation solution is particularly important under the current dual pressure of labor shortage and capacity expansion. Based on actual user feedback, RobCo’s solutions can be put to use in a very short time, resulting in immediate productivity gains and labor savings.

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Help small and medium-sized enterprises industrialization, expand huge application space

For a long time, there is a significant gap between small and medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises in the field of intelligent manufacturing, and the level of automation is seriously insufficient. RobCo’s plug-and-play modular robots deliver a positive ROI from day one, helping manufacturers address challenges such as labor shortages, production scalability and the transition to Industry 4.0.

ADV151-P50 There is still room for further simplification and cost reduction in robotic automation for the foreseeable future. With the application and integration of new technologies such as 5G and AI, intelligent manufacturing will be used by more small and medium-sized enterprises. RobCo is taking the lead in this booming market and has the potential to become a leader in the next generation of manufacturing automation solutions for smes.

This round of financing shows that the recognition of RobCo by investors in the industry reflects the good expectations for the transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises in the era of Industry 4.0. Alex Schmitt, Partner at Lightspeed, said: “The high cost and technical complexity is a ADV151-P50 huge challenge for many small and medium-sized businesses, and RobCo has already broken through in this area.”

Holzl, the company’s founder, said: “The fact that a venture capital giant like Lightspeed is backing our next move with a $42.5 million funding round tells us we’re on the right track – and it’s an incredible motivator for all of us to take our solutions to the next level.”