附近上门

Japanese robotics firm raised a $170 million Series B, which included a commitment from new investor .

The deal comes just weeks after founder told investors the firm will shift from 鈥渄efense mode鈥� back to 鈥渙ffense mode鈥� and is looking at being the leader in the AI revolution.

鈥淣ow, the time has come to shift to offense mode,鈥� Son said.

The new deal seems to fit into that AI thesis, as Telexistence creates AI-powered robotic arms for the retail and warehousing sectors. The company has deployed its robots in 300 convenience stores in Japan.

Aside from SoftBank, other investors in the round include previous investors , and , and new investors HH- Partnership ( Co-GP Fund), and .

The deal also includes a strategic business partnership agreement with , a subsidiary of SoftBank, for commercialization in North America.

Founded in 2017, the company has now raised nearly $200 million, .

Robotics funding

Funding in robotics has slumped after having a breakout in 2021, according to 附近上门 .

In 2021, robotic startups globally raised about $17 billion total. However, that number fell to only $9.6 billion last year and thus far only $3.6 billion in 2023.

Whether this latest round will bring any heat to the sector is impossible to say, but it is clear Telexistence plans to quickly scale up.

鈥淲ith this latest funding, we aim to amplify our search for top, diverse talent to enhance our global capabilities at scale,鈥� said CEO in a .

Further reading

• SoftBank Shifting Back To 鈥極ffense鈥� When It Comes to Investing 鈥� Thanks To AI
• SoftBank鈥檚 Hits Are Iconic, But So Are Its Misses

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