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This yr, we coated over 50 mergers, acquisitions and SPAC offers value billions of {dollars}. Listed below are 10 acquisition tales, in chronological order, on The Robotic Report that stood out to us this yr.
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1. Hyundai acquires Boston Dynamics
Whereas the deal was technically introduced on the finish of 2020, it wasn’t finalized till June, so we’re going to let this one slide. It’s onerous to look again on the final yr in robotics and never take into consideration the way it began.
Hyundai spend $880 million for 80% of Boston Dynamics, an organization that has been handed between just a few totally different palms within the final decade. In 2013, it was purchased by Google, after which offered to Softbank in 2017. Softbank maintained a 20% stake within the firm after the acquisition. Boston Dynamics typically good points a whole lot of consideration for the best way that it has pushed the boundaries of the robotics business, from Spot the robotic canine to Atlas.
Nevertheless, there’s been a query about how commercially viable the corporate is. Six months earlier than the acquisition was introduced, Spot grew to become commercially out there. In that point, Boston Dynamics had offered about 400 robots. Learn Story
2. Teledyne acquires FLIR
Only a few days into the brand new yr, Teledyne introduced that it will purchase FLIR for $8 billion in a cash-and-stock deal that gave Teledyne a chance to beef up its product portfolio.
Whereas the 2 corporations had comparable product choices, like sensor methods, cameras and unmanned methods, there wasn’t a lot overlap between the 2. The sensors had been construct on totally different semiconductor applied sciences for various wavelengths, and Teledyne created unmanned methods for maritime drones, whereas FLIR makes them for aerial drones and floor autos. The mixed corporations have an edge within the unmanned automobile area, as it may produce the sensors and cameras for its methods in-house. Learn Story
3. Vicarious Surgical SPAC deal
Particular function acquisition firm (SPAC) offers appeared to be its personal development in 2021, as a number of robotics corporations went public via SPACs all year long. Vicarious stands out amongst them due to the corporate’s presence within the surgical robotics area.
Vicarious is amongst a dozen corporations which might be main gamers within the robot-assisted surgical procedure area. Within the $1.1 billion deal, Vicarious merged with Hong Kong primarily based D8 Holdings. Different necessary gamers within the area, like former Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak, former Verb Surgical and Volcano Corp. CEO Scott Huenneken and former iRythm COO Karim Karti, are chairing their very own SPACs. Learn Story
4. Ondas acquires American Robotics
At first of 2021, American Robotics made information by changing into the primary firm that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had authorized to fly drones beyond-visual-line-of-sight and not using a human operator on the bottom. This approval might have introduced Ondas’ consideration.
In 2017, American Robotics was the primary resident of MassRobotics, the Boston-based non-profit group serving because the innovation hub for robotics and linked units. The corporate’s fully-automated industrial drone system Scout is designed for knowledge gathering functions in industrial, agricultural and governmental settings. The acquisition bodes effectively for the drone business as an entire. Learn Story
5. Zebra Applied sciences acquires Fetch Robotics
July noticed 4 main acquisitions that made it on to this record, Zebra Applied sciences buying Fetch Robotics being the primary. The $290 million acquisition makes Zebra a one-stop-shop for warehouse know-how wants. Fetch Robotics develops autonomous cell robots (AMRs), the product lacking from Zebra’s providing. AMRs noticed a whole lot of development in 2021, notably in acquisitions. Learn Story
6. Aurora SPAC deal
In a SPAC take care of Reinvent Expertise Companions Y, Aurora went public. The mixed firm, Aurora Innovation Inc, was valued at $13 billion after the merger.
Aurora develops an L4 autonomous driving system for robotaxis and semi vans. Aurora continues the SPAC development, in addition to a development of autonomous automobile corporations going public, like Embark, Plus and TuSimple. Previous to the acquisition, Aurora acquired Uber’s self-driving division. Learn Story
7. Novanta acquires ATI Industrial Automation
Novanta acquired ATI Industrial Automation for $172 million lower than per week after Novanta acquired Schneider Electrical Movement USA for $115 million. The acquisition expands Novanta’s presence within the robotics business, and will increase its buyer base and IP portfolio.
ATI develops end-of-arm tooling like robotic altering methods, power/torque sensors, and collision sensors for industrial, collaborative and medical robotic functions. Novanta is a provider of know-how options for medical and superior gear producers, however didn’t have any end-of-arm tooling in its portfolio. Learn Story
8. ABB acquires ASTI Cellular Robots
Like Zebra Expertise’s acquisition of Fetch Robotics, this $190 million acquisition is an instance of an set up robotics firm including AMRs to its portfolio. ABB already produced industrial and collaborative robots, however was one of many greatest robotics suppliers on the time that didn’t have an AMR. ABB is the fourth greatest robotics supplier on the planet.
The acquisition offers ASTI the chance to broaden its buyer base from 20 to over 50 corporations. Previous to the acquisition, ASTI made $50 million a yr, and was rising 30% yearly. Learn Story
9. Locus Robotics acquires Waypoint Robotics
Not like ABB or Zebra Expertise, Locus Robotics was already an AMR producer when it acquired fellow AMR firm Waypoint Robotics. Nevertheless, Waypoint’s AMRs had been able to larger payloads than Locus’. Waypoint’s heavy-duty payload capabilities opens up a brand new marketplace for Locus.
That wasn’t the one issue driving the acquisition, nevertheless. Jason Walker, CEO and co-founder of Waypoint Robotics, expressed concern that Waypoint may very well be muscled out of the market by greater corporations producing AMRs. The acquisition offers Waypoint extra legitimacy within the business, as Walker mentioned that corporations had been involved about working with a smaller AMR producer. Learn Story
10. iRobot acquires Aeris Cleantec AG
iRobot is greatest recognized for its family vacuuming Roomba robots. Nevertheless, this acquisition is, in accordance iRobot chairman and CEO Colin Angle, the least robotic factor the corporate has ever achieved. iRobot paid $72 million for the Switzerland-based air air purifier firm.
Whereas the acquisition helps iRobot’s sensible residence focus, and the corporate plans so as to add new options and performance to Aeris’ merchandise, the corporate appears to be shifting away from the family robotics it grew to become well-known for. The acquisition is iRobot’s first non-robotics product acquisition, however not it’s first non-robotics product. Earlier in 2021, iRobot launched its H1 handheld vacuum. Learn Story
Honorable Mentions
It’s onerous to pick solely 10 necessary acquisitions, so listed below are just a few that didn’t fairly make the record. In April, Brooks Automation acquired Exact Automation for $70 million, increasing Books’ product line into collaborative robots and automation subsystems. In the identical month, Woven Plant Holdings, a Toyota subsidiary, acquired Lyft’s self driving unit, Degree 5, for $550 million. This comes after Aurora purchased Lyft’s self driving unit in 2020, as corporations appear to be realizing that creating autonomous autos will probably be costlier than they beforehand thought. Lastly, in August, John Deere acquired Bear Flag Robotics for $250 million. Jahmy Hindman, CTO at John Deere, mentioned that the corporate sees autonomy as an necessary step ahead for farming.
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