Ocado Group

Automation and robotics are finally creating solutions for the complexities of doorstep deliveries.

Last-mile Delivery Automation

Oxa <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18936">(formerly Oxbotica) </a>is a UK-based developer of autonomous vehicle software using computer vision and machine learning technologies. Its product portfolio includes “Oxa Driver,” a full-stack autonomy system that can be integrated into any sensor, vehicle, or platform; “Oxa Hub,” which connects autonomous vehicles with customers’ existing fleet management platforms; and “Oxa MetaDriver,” a system to synthesize simulated scenarios and validate customer environments. The company pitches its software to multiple B2B applications including shared passenger transportation, cargo transportation, energy, and mining.Key customers and partnershipsOxa has product partnerships with companies including 1) AppliedEV, a modular vehicle solutions provider, to retrofit Oxa’s software into AppliedEV’s electric vehicle modular platform <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5351">(September 2021);</a> 2) <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/788807">Goggo Network</a> to retrofit Oxa’s autonomous driving software into Goggo Network’s ADVs <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17297">(March 2023);</a> and 3) Google Cloud to scale up autonomous software deployment <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17346">(March 2023).</a>Funding and financials<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15599">In January 2023, </a>Oxa raised USD 140 million in a Series C funding round to accelerate commercial deployments. The company also received an undisclosed amount of funds from Google <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22506">in October 2023, </a>as a part of its Series C round.

UK-based Wayve develops the fully autonomous driving system “AV2.0” for autonomous cars, using end-to-end deep learning and surround cameras to enable self-driving with AI. The driving system is data-driven and can scale across diverse urban environments. Wayve claims to be the first to deploy autonomous vehicles with deep learning on public roads. The company has offices in the UK, the US, and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28401">Canada.</a>Key customers and partnershipsWayve entered the autonomous last-mile delivery space by partnering with British grocery retailer Asda <a href="https://wayve.ai/blog/wayve-announces-autonomous-van-trial-in-partnership-with-asda">(September 2021;</a> extended in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17735">April 2023)</a> and online grocer Ocado <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5854">(October 2021)</a> for delivery trials in London.The company’s product development partners include Microsoft Azure (to scale its machine learning capabilities; <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/en-gb/2020/10/22/wayve-chooses-microsoft-azure-to-scale-ai-based-autonomous-driving-technology/">October 2020),</a> Admiral, Ansys, NVIDIA, and Weights &amp; Biases.Funding and financials<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7821">In January 2022,</a> Wayve raised USD 200 million in a Series B funding round led by Eclipse Ventures to develop a Level 4+ self-driving prototype for delivery and passenger vehicles (level 4 refers to fully autonomous vehicles but limited to specific locations and/or conditions), launch new last-mile delivery pilots, further product development, and expand the team.

Autonomous and connected technologies shaping the future of the auto industry

Auto Tech

<div>
 
 Oxa 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18935">
 (formerly Oxbotica)
 </a>
 is a UK-based developer of autonomous vehicle software using computer vision and machine learning technologies. Its product portfolio includes &ldquo;Oxa Driver,&rdquo; a full-stack autonomy system that can be integrated into any sensor, vehicle, or platform; &ldquo;Oxa Hub,&rdquo; which connects autonomous vehicles with customers&rsquo; existing fleet management platforms; and &ldquo;Oxa MetaDriver,&rdquo; a system to synthesize simulated scenarios and validate customer environments. The company pitches its software to multiple B2B applications including shared passenger transportation, cargo transportation, energy, and mining. Oxa&rsquo;s software solutions are modular and customizable, enabling customers to select components and create a personalized solution based on their needs, technologies, and vehicles.
 
 
 
 
 Autonomous vehicles powered by Oxa&rsquo;s software were first launched commercially in February 2024 in Florida.
 
 
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 Reportedly, Oxa has customers in the mining, construction, agriculture, airports, ports, and logistics sectors (as of January 2023). 
 It has a 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21274">
 August 2023
 </a>
 partnership with Beep to integrate Oxa Driver into Beep&rsquo;s vehicles (launched commercially at the Florida State College at Jacksonville 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26901">
 in February 2024).
 </a>
 
 
 The company also has product partnerships with 1) German auto parts maker ZF to develop autonomous software for passenger shuttles (October 2021); 2) Swedish electric car manufacturer NEVS to develop self-driving electric vehicles to be deployed on public roads by 2023 (May 2022); 3) Google Cloud to scale up autonomous software deployment 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17345">
 (March 2023);
 </a>
 and 4) electric vehicle (EV) provider eVersum to develop and deploy autonomous city shuttles in the US and Europe 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22536">
 (October 2023;
 </a>
 launch plans in Belfast, North Ireland were announced 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23571">
 in November 2023).
 </a>
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15599">
 In January 2023,
 </a>
 Oxa raised USD 140 million in a Series C funding round to accelerate commercial deployments. The company also received an undisclosed amount of funds from Google 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22505">
 in October 2023,
 </a>
 as a part of its Series C round.
 
 
 
</div>

<div>
 
 UK-based Wayve develops the fully autonomous driving system &ldquo;AV2.0&rdquo; for autonomous cars, using end-to-end deep learning and surround cameras to enable self-driving with AI. The driving system is data-driven and can scale across diverse urban environments. Wayve claims to be the first to deploy autonomous vehicles with deep learning on public roads. The company has offices in the UK, the US, and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28400">
 Canada.
 </a>
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 The company&rsquo;s product development partners include Microsoft Azure (to scale its machine learning capabilities; October 2020), Admiral, Ansys, NVIDIA, and Weights &amp; Biases.
 
 
 Funding and financials&nbsp;
 
 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7821">
 In January 2022,
 </a>
 Wayve raised USD 200 million in a Series B funding round led by Eclipse Ventures to develop a Level 4+ self-driving prototype for delivery and passenger vehicles (level 4 refers to fully autonomous vehicles but limited to specific locations and/or conditions), launch new last-mile delivery pilots, further product development, and expand the team.
 
</div>

Additive manufacturing makes objects by systematically adding material via a CAD program

Additive Manufacturing

<div>
 
 A spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Inkbit offers 3D printers and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19601">
 on-demand manufacturing services
 </a>
 using a proprietary 3D vision system targeting several industrial applications including industrial automation, manifold and fluid handling, wearables, and external medical devices. The company&rsquo;s proprietary 3D vision and scanning system Vista operates with a closed-loop feedback system that scans data after each layer of deposition and generates a topographical map of each layer (using scan data and source part geometry), which ensures accuracy of printing. Inkbit also uses proprietary new materials chemistries that allow for the printing of elastomers that are capable of stretching over 1.8x, high-temperature materials that can withstand temperatures up to 120 &deg;C, and rigid-impact materials that can withstand long-term UV exposure. The company reportedly completed its first customer installation in April 2022.&nbsp;
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 The company supplied three machines to the US Air Force and shipped the first Vista platform to Saint Gobain (as of November 2022).
 
 
 Inkbit partnered with Makelab in September 2023 to accelerate time to market, facilitate flexible hardware development, and broaden access to Inkbit&rsquo;s Vision-Controlled Jetting (VCJ) technology.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In July 2021, Inkbit raised USD 30 million in Series B funding, bringing its total funding to USD 45 million. The funds were expected to be used to expand sales in the US as well as other markets including Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
 
 
 
</div>

Augmenting the mining value chain with technology and automation

Mining Tech

<div>
 
 Oxbotica is developing the next generation of autonomous vehicles - creating the software that makes them go. Using the latest in computer vision and machine learning, their systems learn from their environment and share experiences with each other, so that they're getting smarter all the time. Oxbotica powers the navigation, perception, user interface, fleet management, and other features needed to run self-driving vehicles in multiple environments. The system uses a complement of sensors and algorithms to identify and track pedestrians, cars, and other obstacles in the environment.
 
</div>

Oxbotica develops autonomous vehicle software. They provide autonomy software that has low compute power requirements. They use laser vision and radar for localization, redundancy, and cloud management services that enable businesses to help bring autonomy to vehicles.

Wayve develops a full autonomous driving system which is data-driven at every layer, learning to drive. It uses end-to-end deep learning to develop artificial intelligence capable of complex driving, which can scale across diverse urban environments. Founded in 2017, Wayve operates a fleet of electric vehicles fitted for autonomous operation and technology development. It is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.

Inkbit creats a next-generation additive manufacturing platform that combines 3D printing with machine vision. MIT-trained scientists and engineers combines expertise in industrial systems, design software, and material science to identify and seize opportunities for mass-market additive manufacturing.

Karakuri is revolutionising Quick Service (QSR) and Fast Casual restaurants with intelligent, robotic kitchen automation. We bring together food, people, and robotics to deliver unprecedented levels of quality, consistency, and efficiency to restaurant kitchens. Our compact, modular designs fit seamlessly into existing kitchen layouts with little to no interruption. In addition, our unique Performance/Partnership business model equips customers with all the real-time data and insights needed to ensure positive ROI, month after month.

Myrmex is launching an innovative fully unmanned grocery delivery system leveraging the power of mobile robotic units. Myrmex CPS is uniquely capable to deliver an online order just a few seconds after the customer arrives at the pick-up point.

Ocado Group operates as an online grocery retailer. The company offers fruits and nuts, wine, vegetables, grocery and household items, milk, eggs, and fish and seafood. It also provides meals, desserts, drinks, cupboards, gifts, household products, flowers, toiletries, pet care products, and child and baby products. The company was formerly known as L. M. Solutions (UK) Limited and changed its name to Ocado in May 2001.  Ocado was incorporated in 1999 and is based in Hatfield, the United Kingdom.

<div> Ocado Group (LSE: OCDO)&nbsp;is a British online retailer for groceries and general merchandise. The company has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2010. Ocado owns a 50% stake in Ocado.com (jointly owned by Marks &amp; Spencer), which had <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1387109/ocado-number-of-customers/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20Ocado%20had%20approximately,in%20the%20last%2012%20weeks."> ~940,000 customers </a> making 357,000&mdash;377,000 orders per week in 2022. The company generated a total revenue of GBP 2.5 billion (USD 3.1 billion) in 2022 (year ending November 27).&nbsp; Ocado&rsquo;s three operating segments are Retail, UK Solutions &amp; Logistics, and International Solutions. The Retail segment (~70% of total revenue in 2022) provides online grocery and general merchandise retailing within the UK. The UK Solutions &amp; Logistics segment (~25%) provides an IT platform, customer fulfillment centers (CFCs), and logistics for UK-based customers (Wm Morrison Supermarkets Limited and Ocado Retail Limited). The International Solutions segment (~5%) provides end-to-end online retail solutions to corporate customers outside the UK via the Ocado Smart Platform (OSP). The UK accounted for ~94% of Ocado&rsquo;s total revenue in 2022. Ocado is committed to reach the net-zero status in its operations by 2035 and across its value chain by 2040. </div>

Speeding up sales, cutting costs, and preparing for the future of retail—whether brick-and-mortar or online.

Retail Industry Robots

AI, robotics, and IoT to streamline the flow of goods and information

Logistics Tech

Offers collaborative robotic solutions for warehouse automation and fulfillment including an automated mobile robot for system directed picking and case replenishment.

Automated fulfillment solutions

6 River Systems

Offers a range of robotic picking and other automation solutions including an automated pickwall and a robotic arm via its subsidiary, Kindred.

Kindred AI

Offers the Ocado Smart Platform, an end-to-end logistics platform for ecommerce, which features fulfilment centres (CFCs), that orchestrate its storage and picking process and leverage proprietary robots across the top of a grid structure named ‘the Hive’

Ocado Group

Featured Industries

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