Attendees are presented with an analysis of 2021 VC and private sector investment into companies producing robots or robotics enabling technologies worldwide. Statically measurable qualities, attributes, and rankings that provide for meaningful interpretation and speak to robotics business development will be presented.

In this Robot Report podcast, WTWH Media’s Robotics Group review the leading robotics and automation trends, along with the most inspirational stories, of 2021.

Reinvest Robotics CEO Esben Østergaard reflects on the impact of the pending EU AI Act and Machinery Directive on innovation. Plus news about MiR, Knightscope, Serve Robotics, Nuro, Waymo and more.

The Robot Report’s Steve Crowe is joined by Kevin Dunlap, Managing Partner at Calibrate Ventures to discuss recent robotics investments including the Berkshire Grey SPAC and Locus Robotics’ $150 million Series E. Calibrate’s portfolio includes Built Robotics, Embodied, Farmwise, Misty Robotics, Soft Robotics, 3D Robotics and more.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from March 12 – 19, 2021 include notices from FORT Robotics, Piaggio Fast Forward, Trimble, Monarch Tractor, Cruise and AEye.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from March 5 – 12, 2021 include notices from Nimble Robotics, Axon, Skydio, Bedrock Ocean Exploration, Refraction AI, ForSight Robotics, GreyOrange and Vicarious.

The five most popular RoboBusiness Direct sessions are available on demand. Topics include 1) robotics investment models, 2) robotics for logistics tasks, 3) the frontiers of manufacturing, 4) robotics commercializing strategies, and 5) the future of human-robot-collaboration.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from January 8 – 14, 2021 include notices from Hyundai Robotics, MakinaRocks, Oceaneering International, WeRide.ai, Energy Robotics, DreamVu, Quicktron, Leadec, maxon Group, Fourier Intelligence and Naïo Technologies.

Robotics Business Review reviews Dive Technologies’ recent equity funding round.

Although robotics investments, mergers, and acquisitions may have dropped a bit in October 2020, autonomous vehicles, drones, and healthcare applications continued to receive funding.

Even before the advent of the Covid-19, autonomous mobile robot companies, notably those producing robots for use in e-commerce fulfillment centers, factories and warehousing, were experiencing a boom in investment. The pandemic is only accelerating investments in the AMR market.

For startups, including hardware centric, robotics companies, securing outside financing is essential to reach their commercial potential and continue to expand. In this comprehensive review, a popular source of start-up funding, venture capital, where capital is exchanged for equity, is examined.

Softbank’s most promising robotics investments are not those targeting the experimental technologies, nor the massive funding rounds for self-driving vehicles, but rather the mid-range investments in mobile robots for industrial and commercial applications.

Blickfeld, a Munich-based startup developing LiDAR sensors for a variety of applications, including autonomous vehicles, has closed a Series A financing round. The amount of the Series A has yet to be disclosed, but it was led by the venture capital unit of Continental together with Wachstumsfonds Bayern. Blickfeld’s existing investors, Fluxunit – OSRAM Ventures,…

Field robots, industrial automation, self-driving vehicles, and healthcare systems received funding in February 2020.

New program will help car dealerships make car buying experience easier for customers by reducing manual paperwork processes.

System looks to improve efficiency and safety through autonomous electric vehicles for freight transfer between public roads and warehouses.

Automotive OEM sector, and plastics & rubber industry the biggest driver of robot unit orders for the year, RIA says.

Hydroid, a developer of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) for the defense and maritime markets, is being acquired by shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) for $350 million. The acquisition is subject to regulatory review and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020. Pocasset, Mass.-based Hydroid will become part of HII’s Technical Solutions division.…

In January 2020, robotics investments and mergers and acquisitions showed continued strength across applications, even as economic challenges affected manufacturing and food service robots.

Challenges in automotive and machine builder sectors resulted in declines, Swiss company said.

Company expands autonomy software beyond cleaning systems to material handling, shelf analytics, commercial vacuums.

Company services Global 100 retailers and logistics fulfillment with robotics and AI systems to improve efficiency.

The Robot Report, sibling site to Robotics Business Review, tracked $1.9 billion in robotics transactions in December 2019, including funding for aerospace, logistics, and healthcare applications.

Company also applies to FDA to evaluate safety and efficacy of system for colon resection surgeries.