Emerald Technology Ventures Invests in Mantis to Advance Physical AI and Human-Centric Automation

Pleasanton, California (December 16, 2024) -- Mantis Robotics, a pioneer in Physical AI for robotic automation, today announced it has secured $5M in new investments led by Emerald Technology Ventures with participation from the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. This cash infusion will enable Mantis Robotics to scale its operations, enhance its product portfolio, and expand its presence in the rapidly growing industrial robotics market.

Mantis has entered the next frontier in robotics by creating the first adaptive, human-centered robots. The company makes industrial robotic arms that are inherently safe for human interaction, eliminating the need for costly and complex external safeguards such as fences or laser barriers. Mantis' technology learns and understands its environment based on sensor data from a proprietary built-in sensor-suite. This enables Mantis Robots to detect obstacles and humans in its direct environment and adjust the robot's behavior accordingly in real-time, making robot arms safe and autonomous.

The robot's intuitive deployment software with 3D real-time Digital Twin, requires no technical or coding knowledge to use, making them accessible for diverse industries and users. By reducing operational complexity, Mantis' robot systems can result in savings of as much as 75% in a typical robotic deployment. The company's transformative technology has the potential to advance industries far beyond manufacturing and warehousing, paving the way for a new era of human-machine collaboration.

"We built our company on the premise that robots should be an extension of human capability," said Gerry Vannuffelen, Founder & CEO of Mantis Robotics. "Our industry has benefited greatly from many new developments in AI-powered application software. Unfortunately, these systems do not allow for safe human-robot interaction. We provide the link between AI and the physical world, by enabling robots to interact safely and capably with humans."

"The investment into Mantis Robotics is another bet of Emerald on the huge potential of Physical AI. We believe Mantis Robotics' unique technology will revolutionize robotics and will enable never-seen before levels of human-machine collaboration. Mantis Robotics unlocks entirely new automation use cases initially in manufacturing and in warehousing, and in soon virtually every other domain," said Michal Natora, Senior Investment Director at Emerald.

"At Amazon, collaborative technology is key to running safe and efficient operations. Technology can serve its best purpose when it's human-centric and able to work seamlessly to support employees as they deliver for our customers," said Franziska Bossart, Head of the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. "We are excited about Mantis Robotics' science-driven approach to advancing human-machine collaboration, fostering safer and more ergonomic workplaces."

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About Mantis Robotics
Mantis Robotics created a hardware and software platform to enable productive and safe human-robot collaboration. Mantis' fenceless autonomous robot arms, for manufacturing and e-commerce fulfillment, are equipped with spatial intelligence to work safely alongside people right out-of-the-box, eliminating complex robotics work cell design and making robotic automation up to 75% cheaper.

Mantis Robotics was founded by robotics industry veterans and has its headquarters in Pleasanton, California (USA), with offices in Leuven, Belgium and Taipei, Taiwan. https://www.mantis-robotics.com/

About Emerald Technology Ventures
Emerald is a globally recognized venture-capital firm building a sustainable future at the crossroads of industry and technology. Founded in 2000, it is a pioneer in open innovation, providing multi-national corporations with rich deal flow and insight in the sectors and markets of tomorrow. Emerald manages and advises assets of over €1 billion from its offices in Zurich, Toronto and Singapore. The firm is dedicated to tackling big challenges in climate change and sustainability via over 500 venture transactions and five third-party investment mandates, including loan guarantees to over 100 start-ups. For more information, please visit www.emerald.vc.