The Robot Report

  • Home
  • News
  • Technologies
    • Batteries / Power Supplies
    • Cameras / Imaging / Vision
    • Controllers
    • End Effectors
    • Microprocessors / SoCs
    • Motion Control
    • Sensors
    • Soft Robotics
    • Software / Simulation
  • Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Human Robot Interaction / Haptics
    • Mobility / Navigation
    • Research
  • Robots
    • AGVs
    • AMRs
    • Consumer
    • Collaborative Robots
    • Drones
    • Humanoids
    • Industrial
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Unmanned Maritime Systems
  • Business
    • Financial
      • Investments
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Earnings
    • Markets
      • Agriculture
      • Healthcare
      • Logistics
      • Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Security
    • RBR50
      • RBR50 Winners 2025
      • RBR50 Winners 2024
      • RBR50 Winners 2023
      • RBR50 Winners 2022
      • RBR50 Winners 2021
  • Resources
    • Automated Warehouse Research Reports
    • Digital Issues
    • eBooks
    • Publications
      • Automated Warehouse
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
    • Search Robotics Database
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
  • Events
    • RoboBusiness
    • Robotics Summit & Expo
    • DeviceTalks
    • R&D 100
    • Robotics Weeks
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

December fundings, acquisitions and IPOs

By Frank Tobe | December 30, 2016

Ten robotics-related companies got funded in December for a combined total of $94 million; down from $225 million in November. Four more got acquired. Over $2 billion was involved. No companies went public.

Fundings

  • ​Zipline, the San Francisco-based meds drone delivery service startup, raised another $25 million (in Nov) in its B round from Visionaire Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz, Jerry Wang, Sequoia Capital and Subtraction Capital.
  • Netradyne,  a San Diego AI developer of self-driving car systtems, got $16 million (in June) for a Series A round. Reliance Industries, an India-based oil and natural gas developer and provider, was the sole funder. 
  • Shenzhen Gowild Robotics, a Shenzhen AI and personal robot startup, raised $15 million in a Series A round. Their new mobil robot goes on sale in 2017 for around $860.
  • Mojio, a Canadian startup and provider of an open platform for connected cars, raised $15M in a two-part Series A round backed by Amazon Alexa Fund, Deutsche Telekom, BDC Capital, Relay Ventures, and BC Tech Fund. This new funding will further the global adoption of Mojio’s hardware-agnostic, cloud-based connected-car platform and enable hiring in Palo Alto, Prague and Vancouver.
  • Farmer’s Edge, a Canadian precision ag data consolidator/integrator with 320+ employes, raised a large but undisclosed amount of capital from Fairfax Financial. Part of the raise was used to pay off Kleiner Perkins for their exit.
  • Superflex, a Silicon Valley spin-off from SRI International, raised $9.6 million in a Series A round led by Japanese venture firm Global Brain with additional participation from seed investors Horizons Ventures and Root Ventures, and new investment from Sinovation Ventures. Superflex is developing a new category of lightweight, connected apparel, worn under any outfit, with integrated electric “muscles” that add intelligent wearable strength and natural mobility to muscles and joints, enabling everyone — from seniors, to athletes, to chronically ill children — to achieve their full physical potential. Early next year Superflex will begin showing their initial product concept: a powered suit designed for those experiencing mobility difficulties later in life, or challenging work environments, to provide core support for a wearer's torso, hips and legs.

“Our origins are in robotics, our future is as an apparel company,” said Rich Mahoney, co-founder and CEO of Superflex, who previously served as the Director of Robotics at SRI International. “We’ll combine comfort and style with power assist for clothes that look good and help people feel good. Our powered clothing will give people the ability to move more freely; to gain strength and confidence; to be more injury-free in the workplace; to achieve higher levels of wellness and social engagement; to stay in the home longer; and to recover from injuries faster.”

  • Fastbrick Robotics, the Australian robotic brick-laying startup, raised $6 million from Hunter Hall Investment, an Australian VC.
  • UVify, a Korean drone startup, got $4 million (in September), from KCube Ventures and NCsoft.
  • Blackmore Sensors and Analytics, a Bozeman, Montana startup, has raised $3.5 million to build LiDAR systems that can help vehicles see more details about what’s in front of them than existing sensors do today. Next Frontier Capital led and was joined by Millennium Technology Value Partners. The company spun out of a research and development firm called Bridger Photonics that developed LiDAR systems for micron-precise laser cutting and welding,and then for military surveillance.
  • Raptor Maps, a Boston area startup providing RaaS (Robotics as a Service), received an investment from both Airware’s Commercial Drone Fund and Kohli Ventures, for an undisclosed amount. 

“The agriculture sector has been an early adopter of commercial drone technology, with several companies now offering products for monitoring crops,” explains John Kolaczynski, head of corporate development for the Commercial Drone Fund. “What impressed us with Raptor Maps’ product is that it collects a vast amount of data, distills it down, and correlates actions that a grower can take on a season-to-season basis — something we haven’t seen in other drone products. We believe this is a great product for the agriculture sector that can drive increased yields and reduced costs for growers.”

Acquisitions

  • TDK Corporation acquired InvenSense, Inc. for a total acquisition price of $1.3 billion. InvenSense provides motion sensors, and is known for its six- and nine-axis motion sensors, which are used in some advanced consumer products and applications. Recently it has added inertial, environmental, microphone, and ultrasonic sensors to its product line.
  • Teledyne Technologies has agreed to buy E2V Technologies, a vision systems provider, for $780 million in cash. Teledyne's offer represents a 48% premium on E2V's closing price on the day of the announcement.
  • Advanced Integration Technology (“AIT”) has agreed to acquire KUKA Systems Aerospace North America (“KUKA Aero”), as recently reorganized, in a carve-out transaction conducted by KUKA Systems North America LLC to enable Kuka to satisfy demands from U.S. regulators in connection with Kuka's takeover by Chinese consumer products manufacturer Midea. Based in Clinton Township, MI, KUKA Aero is the market-leading integrator of new robotic technologies used in aerospace assembly and a provider of flexible automation solutions and engineering to the aerospace industry. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed however U.S. regulators subsequently okayed the overall acquisition of KUKA by Midea.
  • Liquid Robotics, inventor of the Wave Glider, got acquired by Boeing for an undisclosed amount. Boeing's stated purpose for the acquisition is to grow its seabed-to-space autonomous capabilities. Liquid Robotics, which employs about 100 people in California and Hawaii, will become a subsidiary of Boeing Defense, Space and Security.

IPOs and equity crowdfundings

Only four robotics-related companies went public in 2016; none occured in December.

According to Erin Griffith of Fortune's Term Sheet, the biggest trend in late stage venture funding in 2016 was the retreat of hedge funds and mutual funds. Instead, 2016 was the year of the “non-tech incumbents,” doing big tech startup acquisitions. (Think Intelligrated-Honeywell, GM-Cruise, Midea-KUKA). It was the year of corporate makeovers, a drive to find new avenues in the face of anemic growth. Companies are reinventing themselves by acquiring talent, technology and growth businesses.

Nevertheless, everyone that's ever invested in tech is praying 2017 will be the year of IPOs.

About The Author

Frank Tobe

Frank Tobe is the founder of The Robot Report and co-founder of ROBO Global which has developed a tracking index for the robotics industry, the ROBO Global™ Robotics & Automation Index. The index of ~90 companies in 13 sub-sectors tracks and captures the entire economic value of this global opportunity in robotics, automation and enabling technologies.

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles Read More >

A Flippy robot from Miso Robotics gathering frozen fries in a fry basket.
Roboworx to aid Miso Robotics in installation, maintenance of its Flippy robots
A bar graph showing the annual installations of industrial robots in the European automotive industry.
Robot sales for the automotive industry remain high in Europe
ANYmal, shown here in an industrial facility, can carry modular sensor payloads and detect machine noises and gas leaks, says ANYbotics.
ANYbotics launches Gas Leak and Presence Detection for ANYmal inspection robot
SS Innovations International's SSI Mantra 3.
SS Innovations completes its first cardiac surgery in the Americas with SSi Mantra

RBR50 Innovation Awards

“rr
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Robotics Professionals.
The Robot Report Listing Database

Latest Episode of The Robot Report Podcast

Automated Warehouse Research Reports

Sponsored Content

  • Sager Electronics and its partners, logos shown here, will exhibit at the 2025 Robotics Summit & Expo. Sager Electronics to exhibit at the Robotics Summit & Expo
  • The Shift in Robotics: How Visual Perception is Separating Winners from the Pack
  • An AutoStore automated storage and retrieval grid. Webinar to provide automated storage and retrieval adoption advice
  • Smaller, tougher devices for evolving demands
  • Modular motors and gearboxes make product development simple
The Robot Report
  • Automated Warehouse
  • RoboBusiness Event
  • Robotics Summit & Expo
  • About The Robot Report
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search The Robot Report

  • Home
  • News
  • Technologies
    • Batteries / Power Supplies
    • Cameras / Imaging / Vision
    • Controllers
    • End Effectors
    • Microprocessors / SoCs
    • Motion Control
    • Sensors
    • Soft Robotics
    • Software / Simulation
  • Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Human Robot Interaction / Haptics
    • Mobility / Navigation
    • Research
  • Robots
    • AGVs
    • AMRs
    • Consumer
    • Collaborative Robots
    • Drones
    • Humanoids
    • Industrial
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Unmanned Maritime Systems
  • Business
    • Financial
      • Investments
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Earnings
    • Markets
      • Agriculture
      • Healthcare
      • Logistics
      • Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Security
    • RBR50
      • RBR50 Winners 2025
      • RBR50 Winners 2024
      • RBR50 Winners 2023
      • RBR50 Winners 2022
      • RBR50 Winners 2021
  • Resources
    • Automated Warehouse Research Reports
    • Digital Issues
    • eBooks
    • Publications
      • Automated Warehouse
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
    • Search Robotics Database
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
  • Events
    • RoboBusiness
    • Robotics Summit & Expo
    • DeviceTalks
    • R&D 100
    • Robotics Weeks
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe