A look at top robotics funding companies raised in February/March 2021

Robots are now taking the world by storm. From complex business environments to our homes as robotic assistants, robots are everywhere and doing everything. As technology becomes more intelligent, accurate and sophisticated, robotics is becoming smarter enough to adapt to agile and complex environments. Advances in robotics have been of great significance, shaping our lives in several ways. Moreover, robotics companies are making tremendous leaps in terms of innovation, attracting investors' eyes for building applications and delivering advanced robotics solutions.

Analytics Insight has compiled a list of top robotics funding and investments that happened in February/March 2021.

Plus

Amount Raised: US$200 Million

Transaction Type: Series B

Key Investor(s): Guotai Junan International, CPE and Wanxiang International Investment

Plus, a developer of autonomous truck technology, has raised a whopping funding amount of US$200 million in its Series B round. The round was led by Guotai Junan International, CPE and Wanxiang International Investment, with existing investor Full Truck Alliance. Founded in 2016, Plus develops technology to enable large-scale commercialization of autonomous transport. The new funds intend to stimulate the global commercialization and deployment of Plus's automated trucking system.

Skydio

Amount Raised: US$170 Million

Transaction Type: Series D

Key Investor(s): Andreessen Horowitz

Autonomous drone manufacturer Skydio has raised US$170 million in a Series D funding round. The company builds AI-powered drones to deliver power and flying cameras without the complexity. Led by Andreessen Horowitz's Growth Fund, the new funding sends Skydio into unicorn territory, of  US$340 million in total funding with a post-money valuation worth US$1 billion.

Locus Robotics

Amount Raised: US$150 Million

Transaction Type: Series E

Key Investor(s): BOND, Tiger Global Management

Locus Robotics is a warehouse robotics company that manufactures autonomous mobile robots for e-commerce. The company has secured a mammoth funding amount of US$150 million in its Series E round led by BOND and Tiger Global Management. The round also involves existing investors including Scale Venture Partners and Prologis Ventures, the venture capital arm of Prologis, the global leader in logistics real estate. This fresh funding will enable Locus to further expand its market opportunities globally and support ongoing R&D to grow and enhance its award-winning, innovative warehouse technology solution.

DroneDeploy

Amount Raised: US$50 Million

Transaction Type: Series E

Key Investor(s): AirTree Ventures, Energize Ventures

DroneDeploy, a cloud-based drone mapping and analytics platform, has bagged US$50 million in a Series E financing round. The round was led by existing investors Energize Ventures and AirTree, with participation from Bessemer, Scale, Emergence, Angelpad, Uncork and Frontline Ventures. The funds will allow DronePlay to expand its products beyond aerial capture, expedite its expansion into Europe, and explore opportunities for strategic acquisitions. This new funding brings the company's total valuation to over US$142 million.

Symbio Robotics

Amount Raised: US$30 Million

Transaction Type: Venture Round

Key Investor(s): ACME Capital

Robotics startup Symbio Robotics has raised US$30 million in a venture funding round to develop its industrial robots. The company develops AI software to improve the real-time control of industrial robots. The funding round was led by ACME Capital with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Eclipse Ventures and The House Fund.

GITAI

Amount Raised: US$17.1 Million

Transaction Type: Series B

Key Investor(s): SPARX Innovation for the Future

GITAI is a robotics startup that builds remote-controlled robots to replace astronaut's operations in commercial space stations. As the company aims to replace astronauts with robots, it has secured US$17.1 million in a Series B round for extending the robotics workforce of commercial space. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, GITAI will be providing reasonable, safe, and reliable labor to construct cities on the Moon and space colonies by 2040.