47 robotics investments in the month of March accounted for a total of $526M.
Robotics funding for March 2023 totaled $526 million, the result of 47 investments. The March investments bring the 2023 total to approximately $1.66 billion.
Table 1: March 2023 Robotics Funding and Investment
| Company_Name | Amount | Type | Country | Tech-Prod-Services | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1X | $23,500,000 | Series A | Norway | Humanoids / Bipeds | !X is developing humanoid robotics systems. | |
| Aicatech AI | $1,275,336 | Seed | Switzerland | Software | AICA offers AI-based software that simplifies the programming of robots. | |
| AutoSurg | $835,000 | Seed | USA | Surgical Systems | Autosurg is developing an autonomous surgical robot for endoscopic diagnostic and interventional procedures. | |
| Azure Alliance | Estimate | Grant | Taiwan | Unmanned Surface Vehicles | Azure Alliance produces the Azure Fighter, an electric marine debris cleaning boat that operates by remote control or autonomously. | |
| Biomotum | Estimate | Seed | USA | Rehabilitation / Therapeutic Systems, Prosthetic / Orthotic Systems | Biomotum produces wearable rehabilitation robotics for assisting and restoring walking function. | |
| Caracol | $11,279,991 | Series A | Italy | Articulated Robots, Tech – Tools and Machinery | Caracol offers large-format, robotics-powered, additive manufacturing solutions for industrial sectors. | |
| Chietom (Zhitong Precision) | Estimate | Other | China | Actuators / Motors / Servos | Chietom (Zhitong Precision) is a manufacturer of gear reducers for industrial robot joints | |
| Chouette | $4,808,945 | Other | France | Drones, Sensors / Sensing Systems | Chouette uses drones to capture images which are then analyzed to detect diseases and tree vigor and, based on the data analysis, creates the optimal spray volume of chemicals. | |
| Direct Drive Technology | Estimate | Series B | China | Actuators / Motors / Servos | Direct Drive Technology provides direct drive solutions for home care robots, industrial/commercial robots, and other machines. | |
| dRISK | Estimate | Grant | United Kingdom | Sensors / Sensing Systems, Software | DRISK is developing a standardized approach for autonomous vehicle testing that incorporates the world’s most extensive library of edge cases. | |
| Drone Delivery Canada | $75,000 | Grant | Canada | Drones, Drones | Drone Delivery Canada is focused on designing, developing and implementing a commercially viable drone delivery system within Canada. | |
| Drone Express | $250,000 | Seed | USA | Drones, Software | Drone Express is a full-service logistics company that uses autonomous drones for local package delivery. | |
| Enabot | $145,267 | Other | Hong Kong | Indoor Mobile Platforms | Enabot produces mobile, social robots powered by artificial intelligence. | |
| ENKITEK | Estimate | Seed | Spain | Sensors / Sensing Systems, Collaborative Robots | ENKITEK utilizes robotics, AI and IoT to automate and monitor the production in indoor farming. | |
| Fabrica AI | $850,000 | Seed | Singapore | Indoor Mobile Platforms | Fabrica AI is developing autonomous tile grouting robots that grout and clean tile gaps with only a press of a button. | |
| Flyability | Estimate | Series C | Switzerland | Drones, Data Acquisition / Processing / Management | Flyability is designing drones for visual inspection and exploration in indoor, often inaccessible environments for inspection and more. | |
| Geoflex | $6,366,419 | Series A | France | Sensors / Sensing Systems, Software | Geoflex is a cloud service operator that enhances GPS/GNSS-based applications to 4 centimeters positioning on land, at sea and in the air. | |
| Ghost Autonomy | $45,370,440 | Series E | USA | Software | Ghost Autonomy produces software to enable autonomous driving in consumer vehicles. | |
| Hanyang Technology | $14,496,535 | Seed | China | Indoor Mobile Platforms, Outdoor Mobile Platforms | Hanyang Technology produces autonomous service robots for indoor and outdoor use. | |
| Haply | $3,496,220 | Seed | Canada | Human Robot Interaction (HRI) \ Haptics | Haply provides haptic devices, prototyping, firmware, and virtual learning assistance. | |
| Hengzhi Future | Estimate | Seed | China | Quadrupeds | Hengzhi Future is a developer of consumer-grade robotic products. | |
| Hirebotics | Estimate | Other | USA | System Integration / Programming, Collaborative Robots | Hirebotics is a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) provider. | |
| Inker Robotics | $1,200,000 | Seed | India | System Integration / Programming, Research / Consulting | INKER is an engineering services firm that produces robotics solutions. | |
| IONA | Estimate | Grant | United Kingdom | Drones, Software | IONA develops zero-emission autonomous drone solutions for logistics in low-population-density areas | |
| Jodell Robotics | $13,014,619 | Series B | China | End Effectors, Actuators / Motors / Servos | Jodell Robotics offers electric gripping solutions for robotics systems. | |
| Lanjiang Technology | Estimate | Seed | China | Outdoor Mobile Platforms | Lanjiang Technology is a developer of agricultural robots for field planting management. | |
| LexxPluss | $10,800,000 | Series A | Japan | Indoor Mobile Platforms | LexxPluss provides customizable hybrid autonomous mobile robots (hybrid-AMR) for the logistics market. | |
| Manna Drone Delivery | $10,000,000 | Other | Ireland | Drones, Software | Manna offers drone delivery as a service stack to restaurant chains, dark kitchens, and online food delivery platforms | |
| Neubility | $2,296,832 | Series A | South Korea | Outdoor Mobile Platforms | Neubility offers a self-driving delivery robot as a service. | |
| Nimble Robotics | $65,000,000 | Series B | USA | Collaborative Robots, Articulated Robots | Nimble Robotics offers fulfillment services using intelligent robots for pick and pack operations. | |
| Plus One Robotics | $52,743,951 | Series C | USA | Articulated Robots, Sensors / Sensing Systems | Plus One Robotics develops a parcel-handling robotics platform for logistics applications. | |
| Qi Yuan Robot | Estimate | Seed | China | Indoor Mobile Platforms | Qiyuan Robot is a developer of intelligent cleaning robots. | |
| Qiaotian Intelligent | $1,500,000 | Other | China | End Effectors | Qiaotian Intelligent produces tool changers for industrial robots. | |
| READY Robotics | Estimate | Other | USA | Software | READY Robotics is the developer of ForgeOS, the industrial OS for robots and automation. | |
| Renovate Robotics | $2,500,000 | Seed | USA | Other Industrial | Renovate Robotics develops an automation technology for automated solar and shingle installation in the construction sector. |
|
| REP-TEC | $354,811 | Other | USA | Articulated Robots, Sensors / Sensing Systems | REP-TEC provides robotic automated recycling solutions. | |
| Rizhao Ami Precision Control Technology | $7,000,000 | Other | China | Actuators / Motors / Servos, Controllers | Rizhao Ami Precision Control Technology provides precision optical-mechanical control solutions. | |
| Robeff Technology | $1,500,000 | Seed | Turkey | Outdoor Mobile Platforms | Robeff Technology produces fully autonomous mobile delivery systems. | |
| RoboticPlus.AI | Estimate | Other | China | Articulated Robots, Software | RoboticPlus.AI is a robotics company that helps in architectural tech by providing intelligent robotic products for the construction sector. | |
| sliQue Robotics | Estimate | Seed | USA | Indoor Mobile Platforms, Software | sliQue Robotics is a machine learning and robotics firm specializing in solutions to optimize hospitality operations. | |
| Standard Robots | $86,575,089 | Series C | China | Indoor Mobile Platforms, Autonomous Forklifts, Automated Guide Vehicles | Standard Robots provides a variety of autonomous mobile robots. | |
| UISEE | Estimate | Series C | China | Outdoor Mobile Platforms, Autonomous Transportation Systems | UISEE provides a variety of autonomous mobility solutions. | |
| Venti Technologies | $28,800,000 | Series A | China | Autonomous Transportation Systems, Software | Venti Technologies develops logistics systems incorporating autonomous vehicles for moving goods and people at industrial hubs . | |
| Verity | $32,802,838 | Series B | Switzerland | Drones, Software | Verity’s drone-based solution automates inventory checks in large warehouses and DCs. | |
| Wingtra | $22,000,000 | Series B | Switzerland | Drones | Wingtra is a manufacturer of professional mapping and surveying drones. | |
| Xingmai Innovation | $29,077,374 | Other | China | Home Care / Lawn Care / Pool Care, Unmanned Underwater Vehicles | Xingmai Innovation produces intelligent pool-cleaning robots. | |
| Yogo Robot | Estimate | Other | China | Indoor Mobile Platforms | Yogo Robot uses automated delivery solutions for last-mile delivery. |
Companies located in China received the most rounds (15) and the greatest funding amounts ($205M). Investment into US firms totaled $176M (11 rounds total).
All funding types were well represented in the March 2023 investment survey (Figure 2), with Seed investments making up most of the rounds. Approximately one-third of the March 2023 investment amounts came from Series C rounds, buoyed by investments into Flyability ($10M), Plus One Robotics ($52.7M) and Standard Robots ($86.5M).
Figure 2: March 2023 Robotics Funding Amounts by Investment Type
Figure 3: March 2023 Robotics Funding Amounts by Investment Number and Amounts
Editor’s note: What defines robotics investments? The answer to this simple question is central in any attempt to quantify them with some degree of rigor. To make investment analyses consistent, repeatable, and valuable, it is critical to wring out as much subjectivity as possible during the evaluation process. This begins with a definition of terms and a description of assumptions.
Investors and investing
Investment should come from venture capital firms, corporate investment groups, angel investors, and other sources. Friends-and-family investments, government/non-governmental agency grants, and crowd-sourced funding are excluded.
Robotics and intelligent systems companies
Robotics companies must generate or expect to generate revenue from the production of robotics products (that sense, analyze, and act in the physical world), hardware or software subsystems and enabling technologies for robots, or services supporting robotics devices. For this analysis, autonomous vehicles (including technologies that support autonomous driving) and drones are considered robots, while 3D printers, CNC systems, and various types of “hard” automation are not.
Companies that are “robotic” in name only, or use the term “robot” to describe products and services that do not enable or support devices acting in the physical world, are excluded. For example, this includes “software robots” and robotic process automation. Many firms have multiple locations in different countries. Company locations given in the analysis are based on the publicly listed headquarters in legal documents, press releases, etc.
Verification
Funding information is collected from several public and private sources. These include press releases from corporations and investment groups, corporate briefings, market research firms, and association and industry publications. In addition, information comes from sessions at conferences and seminars, as well as during private interviews with industry representatives, investors, and others. Unverifiable investments are excluded and estimates are made where investment amounts are not provided or are unclear.
