Warehouse robot startup BotsAndUs raises £11m

Autonomous warehouse robot maker BotsAndUs has secured $13m (£10.6m) in a seed spherical led by Swiss venture capital organization Lakestar.

London-centered BotsAndUs will use the funds to acquire its robots that are made use of to evaluate, observe and track down stock in a warehouse.

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

BotsAndUs is also eying international expansion into new markets this kind of as Germany, France, the Nordics, the US and Canada.

Christoph Schuh, lover, 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 over 30%, automation evidently retains the crucial to ensuring logistics functions are as optimised as possible.”

Founded in 2015, BotsAndUs performs with Menzies Aviation, an air cargo organization that is utilised by London Heathrow Airport.

BotsAndUs just lately entered a partnership with container logistics enterprise Maersk to check out the software of its robots in one particular of its warehouses, initially to have out automated inventory administration.

“It’s an exciting time for tech in London, and robotics and AI is a single of our most ground breaking progress sectors. This welcome expense in BotsAndUs additional cements our position as a world-wide hub for innovation and venture capital,” explained Rajesh Agrawal, deputy mayor, London for Business.

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

Enterprise funds firm Lakestar’s prior backings consist of the likes of Skype, Spotify, Fb and Airbnb. It manages €1.2bn (£1bn) across 3 early-stage funds and a expansion fund.