Warehouse robot startup BotsAndUs raises £11m

Autonomous warehouse robotic maker BotsAndUs has secured $13m (£10.6m) in a seed spherical led by Swiss enterprise capital company Lakestar.

London-based mostly BotsAndUs will use the funds to build its robots that are employed to measure, monitor and identify inventory in a warehouse.

The startup’s robots use artificial intelligence (AI) to produce a electronic twin of a warehouse. That mapping facts can then be employed by operators to them run logistics extra successfully in the warehouse.

BotsAndUs is also eying global growth into new marketplaces these kinds of as Germany, France, the Nordics, the US and Canada.

Christoph Schuh, associate, Lakestar mentioned: “More than 80% of warehouses have no automation at all. With warehouses expected to increase by 50% by 2025 and labour shortages of about 30%, automation evidently retains the key to ensuring logistics functions are as optimised as probable.”

Established in 2015, BotsAndUs is effective with Menzies Aviation, an air cargo business that is utilized by London Heathrow Airport.

BotsAndUs not too long ago entered a partnership with container logistics firm Maersk to examine the application of its robots in one of its warehouses, to begin with to carry out automated stock management.

“It’s an remarkable time for tech in London, and robotics and AI is a single of our most progressive advancement sectors. This welcome expense in BotsAndUs further cements our posture as a worldwide hub for innovation and undertaking money,” reported Rajesh Agrawal, deputy mayor, London for Organization.

The round noticed more cash occur from investors Maersk Growth, Kindred Money, and Capnamic. It follows BotsAndUs’s $6m (£4.9m) investment decision in July 2020.

Enterprise money company Lakestar’s past backings include the likes of Skype, Spotify, Facebook and Airbnb. It manages €1.2bn (£1bn) across a few early-phase funds and a advancement fund.