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Gaussian’s robots use Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) to autonomously navigate through an environment.
Gaussian Robotics, a Chinese company that creates commercial cleaning robots, last week raised 1.2 billion yuan ($188 million) in Series C funding from Softbank Group’s Vision Fund, Capital Today and other investors.
Gaussian was founded in 2013. It currently has six robots on the market, all of which can be used to autonomously clean floors. Gaussian’s robots can clean hard floors corner to corner, edge to edge.
Gaussian’s robots can map an area and form a cleaning path using LiDAR within minutes simply by being driven around manually. The robots dispense solution onto the floor, scrub the floor and then suck up the remaining water.
In April 2021, Gaussian raised $100 million in Series B funding. In September 2020, it raised $22.1 million.
Gaussian hopes to expand its overseas operations with the new funding. Gaussian currently has four research and development centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Singapore.
Softbank Group’s Vision Fund also signed thousands of robot orders to aid Gaussian in its overseas development. Gaussian’s robots are sold in over 40 different countries and territories in schools, airports, hospitals and more.
In April 2021, Softbank took a 40% stake in Autostore, a company that develops automatic storage and retrieval systems, for $2.8 billion.
In December 2020, Softbank sold 80% of Boston Dynamics to Hyundai Motor for about $880 million, while a Softbank affiliate retained the other 20%. This move came after SoftBank Group was hit hard by losses in companies like WeWork and Uber, when Softbank began selling a number of non-core business assets.
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