French robotics startup Exotec, which specialises in creating robots to help warehouses pack and dispatch goods, has recently closed a $3.5 million Series A investment round. The funding was led by 360 Capital Partners and is set to help the company expand its operations across Europe and beyond.
The startup makes mini robots that automate warehousing processes by picking, packing, and sorting goods at speeds five times faster than manual operations. Let’s take a closer look at this exciting venture and the opportunities it offers.
Robotics startup Exotec raises $3.5 million to help warehouses pack and dispatch goods using mini robots
Robotics startup Exotec has raised $3.5 million to develop robotic solutions that help warehouses pack and dispatch goods. Founded in 2017 by Thibaud Elzière, Renaud Heitz and Romain Moulin, the company’s technology aims to improve order fulfilment operations for warehouses and automated storage facilities.
Exotec’s flagship product is Skypods – mini robots that store and pick stock items in the warehouse aisles, allowing orders to be fulfilled faster, with fewer mistakes. The robots use navigation technology to autonomously analyse their environment, look ahead for obstacles and make highly efficient calculations when picking up items from shelves. In addition, Skypods also feature smart sensing equipment which helps them identify products accurately, even when packages about similar sizes are on the shelf.
Exotec’s technology has been gaining traction among e-commerce companies, logistic providers and industrial companies who want to make their supply chain management smarter and more efficient. As a result, the company has been rapidly growing as it seeks to meet customer demand for its solutions across Europe. So far this year Exotec has secured business contracts with major shipping firms such as DHL Express France and large e-commerce retailers including Zalando SE (a leading European fashion platform). With these contracts in hand Exotec is looking forward to a successful future helping businesses all around Europe optimise their warehouse processes with the aid of robotics technologies.
Overview of Exotec’s mini robots
Robotics startup Exotec has announced the successful completion of its $3.5 million funding round. The robotics company uses the funds to expand its reach and progress its mission to streamline warehouse packing and dispatch operations through mini robots.
Exotec’s robots, which reach a height of 200mm, are designed with light-weight construction, meaning they move around warehouses easily and can lift to 4 kilograms during each operation. Each robot can store up to 20kg on its tray for later retrieval, allowing for more efficient and organised warehouse management processes. Its on-board cameras allow each robot to autonomously identify objects and differentiate between items as it moves around the warehouse floor. This autonomous navigation capability enables Exotec’s robots to conduct large-scale operations in larger warehouses where unpacking and packing occur simultaneously in different areas simultaneously.
Exotec’s robots provide a cost effective alternative to manual labour in terms of warehouse operations efficiency and reduce risks associated with fatigue or injury due to overexertion caused by manual labour repetitive tasks. They also provide an advantage over non-autonomous forklifts when it comes down to working within narrow spaces due to their lightweight construction and smaller size enabling them traverse these areas where traditional larger machines cannot reach safely or effectively without endangering other personnel working around them in close quarters such as stockers, pickers or packers.
Fundraising
Robotics startup Exotec has raised $3.5 million in a round of fundraising to help warehouses pack and dispatch goods using mini robots. This marks a milestone for the company and is a significant step towards adopting robotics in logistics.
The funds will be used to further develop the products and scale the business. First, look at Exotec’s fundraising round details and what it means for the company.
Details of Exotec’s $3.5 million funding
French robotics startup Exotec has raised a $3.5 million Series A funding round to help warehouses pack and dispatch goods using mini robots.
Breega will lead capital injection to bring Exotec’s inventory-management service to more clients worldwide. Existing investors Isai also participated in the round. The company provides autonomous delivery robots that can autonomously manoeuvre around warehouses and think quickly on their feet when facing unanticipated problems, such as blocked pathways or broken pallets.
The robots are equipped with sensors that can scan a client’s warehouse space and map it in real time. Once an inventory-management plan is set up, the small robot can pick up products from shelves and pallets and organise them into appropriately sized boxes for delivery within a few hours. As a result, the robots can save clients significant time by simplifying labour-intensive processes like packaging and shipping.
Exotec has already launched its robotic solution in some of the world’s leading logistics companies across Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America including Panasonic, home24, JouéClub ,Cdiscount , Carrefour France As IFA Logistique as well as Nespresso UKto name just a few. With over 300 active sites worldwide already utilising their technology, they hope that this round of funding will allow them to continue serving customers efficiently while simultaneously scaling up their operations globally.
How the funding will be used
Robotics startup Exotec has just announced $3.5 million in funding from French venture capital firm Seaya Ventures and investment fund Breega to advance their mission of helping warehouses pack and dispatch goods using mini robots.
The funds will enable the company to further develop its autonomous mobile robot solution, Skypod, and expand its product range with a significant focus on meeting customer needs.
The company will use the money to continue improving their robotics technology to stay ahead of market demands and accelerate adoption of automated systems within the industry by helping customers integrate their existing warehouse management systems with Skypod. The money will also be used to improve software features such as user experience and fleet performance management and expand their geographic reach. Exotec plans to target countries in the US and Europe and is looking into new markets such as Japan and China where high-tech automation is becoming increasingly popular.
Finally, the money will be used for research & development related activities involving new materials, polymers or other components that can withstand extreme temperatures or operating conditions for longer durations.
Benefits of Exotec’s Mini Robots
Robotics startup Exotec has developed mini robots that are helping warehouses pack and dispatch goods more quickly and effectively. The company recently raised $3.5 million to further develop their technology.
In this section, we will explore the benefits that Exotec’s mini robots bring to help warehouses streamline their operations.
Improved accuracy and speed
The use of robotics startup Exotec’s mini robots brings improved accuracy and speed to the order fulfilment process in a warehouse. With the help of these mini robots, customers benefit from a faster delivery time and a greater precision in packing and dispatching orders. The robots leverage advanced AI-driven algorithms to efficiently scan, identify, and pick items while performing order sorting tasks quickly and accurately.
The compact size of these robots allows them to easily manoeuvre within the warehouse environment regardless of size or shape. In addition, the robots are equipped with safety features that protect the goods from damage during loading and unloading processes. Furthermore, their adjustable navigation systems are programmed to autonomously map specific areas within each warehouse for more effective navigation.
By using Exotec’s mini robots for order fulfilment processes, warehouses can save valuable time and ensure more precise deliveries, improving customer satisfaction levels.
Increased efficiency and cost savings
Using robotics startup Exotec’s miniature robots, warehouses can optimise their processes and increase efficiency by significantly reducing the time needed to pack and dispatch goods. By leveraging this new technological solution, companies can save time, resources and money, as robotic workers can complete tasks faster than human workers.
The robots use autonomous navigation capabilities to move around the warehouse environment, utilising advanced sensors and cameras to detect objects accurately. In addition, they feature a flexible architecture that allows them to navigate through a defined area as often as required without reprogramming. This eliminates the need for manual interventions in packing operations while allowing goods of various sizes and shapes to be picked up without error.
Furthermore, Exotec’s mini robots are designed with mobile mesh wireless technology so they can wirelessly communicate over distances previously impossible with other technologies. This leads to increased reliability in communication between all robotic processes and allows data transmission rates up 40 times faster than traditional methods.
Ultimately, using Exotec’s mini robots can provide significant savings for companies with warehouses by improving safety protocols and increasing accuracy in inventory control and picking operations — ultimately leading to higher efficiency across all warehouse processes with less time spent on labour-intensive tasks.
Use Cases
French robotics startup Exotec has raised $3.5 million to provide their mini robots to warehouses for packing and dispatching goods. This latest funding round will enable the company to further develop their technology and reach a larger customer base.
This article discusses the real-world use cases of Exotec’s mini robots and how they can help warehouses manage their goods.
How Exotec’s mini robots are being used in warehouses
Robotics startup Exotec has developed a range of mini robots to help warehouses become more efficient and reduce labour costs. The robots are designed to pick up, transport, store and seamlessly integrate with existing warehouse systems. They are also equipped with advanced vision recognition capability, GPS tracking and enabled with real-time inventory tracking.
These mini robots have become popular as warehouses seek cost-effective and efficient ways to meet peak demand periods without hiring additional labour. The ability of the robotic arms to accurately pick multiple items helps reduce mistakes while ensuring that orders get dispatched quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, using existing storage systems the robots can transport multiple items in the same picking route. This improves productivity and reduces wastage due to errors in manual handling of goods.
Exotec’s mini robots are increasingly used for order fulfilment tasks such as: replenishing shelves, sorting items for packing or assembly lines and store deliveries among others. With increased use cases such as these, Exotec is poised to help many more warehouses stay ahead in their order fulfilment capacity throughout 2021 and beyond.
Examples of successful implementations
Robotics startup Exotec has teamed up with customers across numerous industry segments to develop innovative and transformative solutions for warehousing and logistics. Its first mini robots, which can “pick, pack and dispatch” goods from warehouses, have been successfully implemented in businesses of all sizes in various sectors.
In food manufacturing, Exotec’s flexible and high performance robots enable manufacturers to pick, pack and ship food at an accelerated pace without sacrificing accuracy and reliability. In addition, the systems enable customers such as Angels Monts and Blackwing to reduce order fulfilment time by up to 25%.
Fashion retailers are taking advantage of the profound changes that robotics will bring to the sector with Exotec’s smart-sized robots for organising products into packages at scale. For example, Uniqlo uses the technology to automate warehouse operations while reducing their carbon footprint by 30%. Additionally, they have reported less damage on their items during transport and improved efficiency with faster shipping time from 9 to 6 days.
The healthcare sector is also significantly impacted by these revolutionary solutions due largely to automated medical supply tracking activities that are now possible thanks to Exotec’s combination of AI algorithms and robust power-efficient robots. For example, healthcare technology company Aetna Corporation is already leveraging automated logistics processes on a large scale with significant cost savings that have exceeded 15%. In addition, this automation allows them to free up personnel which can be better utilised in other operations where manual labour is still required.
By raising $3.5 million in Series A investment rounds, Exotec has demonstrated how its innovative solutions are helping advance robotics into warehouses worldwide while enabling its customers with tangible ROIs through faster order fulfilment times and reduced operational costs.
tags = Robotics startup, Exotec, raises $3.5 million, help warehouses, dispatch goods using mini robots, French robotics, founded in 2015, Renaud Heitz , exotec series goldman sachs asset 2bsawersventurebeat, 360 Capital Partners, Breega Capital
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