The funding will be invested directly into at least 30 startups over the next six years.

Blue Ocean Robotics, whose venture factory develops service robots based on common technologies and then spins off units for commercialization, has raised close to $20 million and acquired the Beam telepresence robot.

One of the things I like about attending Schunk’s annual two-day International Expert Days conference is that it covers a range of topics. From conversations with speakers, exhibitors, and fellow attendees, I get a feel for what users need and the challenges robot and gripper makers face in meeting those needs. Another attraction is that…

What makes a robotics cluster successful? Proximity to university research and talent, government support of entrepreneurship, and a focus on industry end users are all important. Around the world, regions have proclaimed initiatives to become “the next Silicon Valley.” However, there have been relatively few metrics to describe robotics hubs — until now. This week,…