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Collaborative Robotics, a startup focused on developing a new type of collaborative robot (cobot), has announced a $30 million Series A funding round led by Sequoia Capital. The funding will be used to scale early field deployments and manufacture their novel cobot. The company, founded by former Amazon Robotics VP Brad Porter, has grown from a small team of three to five full-time employees to a headcount of 23 within 13 months.
The Vision for a Novel Cobot
While the specifics of the cobot’s design remain under wraps, Porter has shared that it is not a humanoid robot, nor is it a manipulator mounted to the back of an autonomous mobile robot. Instead, it is designed to take on human-scale tasks and complete end-to-end tasks autonomously and productively. The cobot is capable of being an assistive picking robot, but its capabilities extend beyond that, focusing on the movement of boxes, totes, and carts.
The Concept of Collaboration
In the context of Collaborative Robotics, “collaboration” doesn’t necessarily mean working together with humans. Instead, it refers to the ability of the cobot to work side by side with humans, attempting to complete as much of a given task as possible without human intervention. This broader definition of collaboration aims to address the constraints that often limit a robot’s ability to perform tasks autonomously.
Early Customer Engagement and the Cobot Flywheel Program
Despite the robot and software still being in the development stage, Collaborative Robotics has been engaging with customers since its early days, leveraging Porter’s reputation from his time at Amazon. The company has launched the Cobot Flywheel Program, designed to build custom solutions for customers and create early revenue streams. The program has attracted a number of biotech, healthcare, and logistics companies, including the Mayo Clinic.
This funding round marks a significant milestone for Collaborative Robotics as it continues to innovate in the field of cobots, setting the stage for a new era in the robotics industry.
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