Pear is an early-stage venture fund founded by Pejman Nozad and Mar Hershenson. Their co-founding managers have historically seeded very early stage tech start-ups such as Doordash, Guardant Health, Gusto, Viz.ai, Dropbox, Lending Club, Zoosk, Addepar, Path and many others. Their motto is simple: they invest in exceptional founders who are building amazing companies. They utilize every resource they have to assist their founders and entrepreneurs shape the future.

Pear VC

The House Fund is a pre-seed and early stage venture capital fund focused on the boldest Berkeley startups.  UC Berkeley has some of the most brilliant minds and daring businesses in the world, like Tesla, Apple, and Intel. It has never had a place to unite its entrepreneurs, until now. Started in 2016, with 50+ investments, $2B in follow-on funding, and 10 exits later, The House Fund has become a thriving ecosystem for the boldest Berkeley startups to grow.

The House Fund

The Graduate Syndicate is led by Jeff Bussgang, Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School (HBS) and co-founder and general partner, Flybridge Capital Partners. They invest in pre-seed and seed stage startups led by recent graduates of Harvard, primarily HBS. In recent years, entrepreneurship has grown tremendously on campus and many valuable companies have been created by recent graduates. Their goal is to bring investors, students, graduates, and friends of Harvard together to build successful, impactful and sustainable companies

The Graduate Syndicate

Afore Capital backs product-centric founders at the pre-seed stage exclusively. The investment team brings 16 years of founding product experience (Android and Twitter) and 7 years of institutional investing experience (Founder Collective and Foundation Capital). Their sweet spot is the ~$1M pre-seed round, where they can lead the round as an institutional investor alongside high value angels.

Afore Capital

Artiman is an early-stage venture fund that seeks to invest in entrepreneurs that have the potential to disrupt multi-billion markets. The firm was established in 2000 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States.

Artiman Ventures

Ironfire Ventures is a cross-border fund with in-house design and research services for our portfolio companies. We invest in startups from seed to series B in AI/ML, Lifestyle (consumption upgrades), Marketplaces, and Enterprise Software categories.

Ironfire Ventures

Think + is a research-driven and thesis-based early stage venture firm.  We invest in exceptional entrepreneurs and help them with guidance, support and our proprietary research.  Our investments include Tubi.tv, ApplyBoard, Uber, Qventus, Angellist, Signifyd, PayJoy, and many other game-changing companies.  We focus on digital health, consumer, and leading edge enterprise solutions. We look for entrepreneurs who are driven to disrupt an old, inefficient system, and are focused on large markets that target millions of people.  We help our portfolio companies  to focus on design, accessibility, and efficiency of their platform.

Think + Ventures

Toyota Ventures is a San Francisco Bay Area-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups from around the world. Founded in July 2017, its mission is to discover what’s next for Toyota by helping startups bring disruptive technologies and business models to market quickly. With more than $500 million in assets under management, the firm’s funds include the Toyota Ventures Frontier Fund focused on artificial intelligence, cloud computing, autonomy, mobility, robotics, smart cities, digital health, financial technologies, materials, and energy; and the Toyota Ventures Climate Fund focused on innovative solutions for carbon neutrality.

Toyota Ventures

Leonis Investissement offre des opportunités d’investissement en startups, basés sur un track record de qualité.

Leonis Investissement

Playground is an early-stage investment firm that helps old and new investors and entrepreneurs working at the intersection of bits, atoms, and AI. It focuses on investment, innovation, connected hardware, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

Playground Global

Maersk Growth is a venture capital firm that invests and accelerates in startups and new technologies to build the future of trade​. The firm was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Copenhagen, Hovedstaden, Denmark.

Maersk Growth

Boxbot

Boxbot’s proprietary software and hardware platform transforms package handling by making ordinary conveyors three-dimensional. Headquartered in Alameda, CA, Boxbot’s modular solution can store, sort, and sequence size-agnostic, high throughput payloads while requiring a minimal physical footprint. Boxbot is driving down the costs of last mile delivery by enabling faster, more intelligent, and denser routing of packages at the warehouse.

<div>Boxbot develops automated sorting and storage solutions for warehouses. The company, which previously focused on developing autonomous delivery vehicles (ADVs) for<a href="https://sp-edge.com/industry/1">last-mile delivery automation,</a>announced the shift in focus to develop warehouse robots<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22292">in September 2023.</a>It offers intelligent 3D parcel handling conveyor systems, specifically designed to increase storage density within a smaller footprint. Its platform can store, sort, and sequence high-throughput payloads while requiring minimal physical space. The company claims the system can handle up to 4,000 parcels per hour. The system is powered by &ldquo;Boxbot OS,&rdquo; which provides advanced analytics, systems controls, and predictive maintenance features.</div>

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

Logistics Tech

<div>
 
 Boxbot develops automated sorting and storage solutions for warehouses. The company, which previously focused on developing autonomous delivery vehicles (ADVs) for 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/industry/1">
 last-mile delivery automation,
 </a>
 announced the shift in focus to develop warehouse robots 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22292">
 in September 2023.
 </a>
 It offers intelligent 3D parcel handling conveyor systems, specifically designed to increase storage density within a smaller footprint. Its platform can store, sort, and sequence high-throughput payloads while requiring minimal physical space. The company claims the system can handle up to 4,000 parcels per hour. The system is powered by &ldquo;Boxbot OS,&rdquo; which provides advanced analytics, systems controls, and predictive maintenance features.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 Boxbot was in discussions with partners and had identified several sites for testing its warehouse automation technology as of September 2023. The company has conducted pilot tests in various use cases and notes the technology can be deployed at last-mile delivery centers, bonded storage warehouses, and customer pickup locations.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22292">
 In September 2023,
 </a>
 Boxbot raised USD 12 million in a Series A funding round led by Playground Global to strengthen its engineering and business operations and accelerate its go-to-market approach.
 
</div>

<div>
 
 Based in France, Exotec Solutions (Exotec) develops warehouse automation solutions. Its main offering 
 &ldquo;Skypod,&rdquo;
 is an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) with the ability to prioritize orders by automating the movement of goods from bin storage to workstations. Skypod units are powered by autonomous mobile robot (AMR) technology and have the ability to travel at high speeds and move in 3D environments.
 
 
 Skypod system is supported by Exotec&rsquo;s end-to-end warehouse software, 
 &ldquo;Deepsky,&rdquo;
 which uses technologies such as Webservices, RESTful API, and nodeRed to control elements of the Skypod system. Exotec can be integrated with warehouse management and warehouse control systems and enables Skypod to be integrated with third-party automation equipment. It also collects real-time data for performance visibility.
 
 
 Exotec&rsquo;s other warehouse solutions include 
 &ldquo;Skypicker,
 &rdquo; an automated picking arm that uses machine learning-based vision to pick items from the Skypod robots and place them into fulfillment containers, and 
 &ldquo;Skypath,&rdquo;
 an API-based modular plug-and-play conveyor system. It also builds stations made up of a ramp, a screen, and scanners for smaller warehouse spaces that use Skypod robots.
 
 
 The company offers its products on a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) basis and has a presence in multiple countries in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 As of February 2022, Exotec served over 50 companies. Its customers include Decathlon, Carrefour, Cdiscount, Uniqlo, Gap, Monoprix, Logilec, and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26080">
 Lane Automotive.
 </a>
 
 
 The company also has partnerships with system integrators such as 1) 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24045">
 Bastian Solutions
 </a>
 and Advanced Handling Systems (AHS) to deploy Skypod systems in North America for retailers such as Gap, Ariat International, and GEODIS; 2) Korea-based engineering and IT service provider POSCO DX to expand its presence in South Korea. Its other integrator partnerships include Hy-Tek Intralogistics, Klinkhammer Intralogistics, UBH and Unitechnik Systems GmbH, A1Sorter, LAC Conveyors &amp; Automation, Dexter Intralogistics, Errevi Automation srl, Okura Yusoki, and IHI.
 
 
 The company also partnered with Conveyco to combine expertise in designing and implementing robotic solutions in North America (April 2020).
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 Exotec reportedly generated USD 120 million in revenue in 2021. In January 2022, the company raised USD 335 million in Series D funding led by Goldman Sachs at a valuation of&nbsp; USD 2 billion. The funds were earmarked for hiring 500 engineers by 2025 and continuing its expansion drive in North America.
 
 
 
</div>

Exotec

<div>
 
 Berkshire Grey provides AI-powered robotic solutions for ecommerce fulfillment automaton, smart store replenishment, package sortation, and micro-fulfillment solutions, targeting retail, ecommerce, and third-party logistics (3PL). Its product portfolio includes robotic pick-and-pack solutions, robotic induction stations, robotic pick-and-sort solutions, and mobile robotic fulfillment solutions. Berkshire Grey specializes in configuring, installing, commissioning, and servicing these solutions for customers. It also provides additional professional services, such as system maintenance, system operation, and cloud-based monitoring and analytics.
 
 
 The company offers its product with a variety of purchase options, including outright sale and robotics-as-a-service (RaaS), which allows customers to use the offerings without incurring large, up-front capital expenses.&nbsp;
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 Berkshire Grey&rsquo;s customers include Global 100 retailers and logistics service providers, such as Walmart, FedEx, Ceva Logistics, Target, TJX, and Bealls.
 
 
 The company also has partnerships with system integrator of fulfillment and distribution solutions AHS (September 2021), technology service provider Atos (October 2021), data-driven robotic solutions provider Swisslog (March 2022), and autonomous mobile robot developer Locus Robotics (January 2023) to expand markets by combining technologies.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 Berkshire Grey generated revenue of US 65.9 million in 2022; however, it was yet to turn profitable, as its operating loss amounted to USD 113.8 million. The company has been listed on the Nasdaq since August 2021 via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), which valued the combined entity at USD 2.7 billion (February 2021). However, the company entered a definitive merger agreement with its investor SoftBank Group in March 2023, which also took the company private (transaction closed in July 2023).
 
 
 
</div>

Berkshire Grey

ShipBob is a cloud-based third-party logistics (3PL) platform that offers a fulfillment order platform for small and medium-sized ecommerce businesses. ShipBob's proprietary technology covers the entire fulfillment process, including order and inventory management, warehouse management, predictive data and analytics, and optimized shipping (package delivery within 1–2 business days) for ecommerce companies. The company operates as a B2B software-as-a-service (SaaS) company.ShipBob operated a network of 40+ fulfillment centers across the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia (as of July 2023). These centers serve as storage and distribution hubs for ShipBob's customers.The company also provides a merchant application that enables users to monitor inventory levels and facilitates communication with the warehouses for selecting items to fulfill orders and arrange their shipment. ShipBob then integrates with various shipping companies to ensure the delivery of orders to customers.Key customers and partnershipsShipBob served 7,000+ ecommerce brands as of July 2023. The list includes Spikeball, Earthley, Ecoy, Pit Viper, Oxford Healthspan, RIFRUF, PetLab, Hero Cosmetics, FlutterHabit, Ocean &amp; Co., Quadrant, and Food Huggers.The company has integrations with multiple platforms to ensure a smooth fulfillment process. Such integrations include the following:1) Ecommerce platforms and marketplaces such as Shopify, Amazon, BigCommerce, eBay, Magneto, Squarespace, Walmart, Wix, WooCommerce, Netsuite, and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22208">TikTok Shop</a>2) Ecommerce operations, inventory, and order management platforms such as Brightpearl, Birj, Cogsy, PackageBee, SPS Commerce, Zentail, Shipyard, Logicbroker, Order Desk, Fulfil.io, and Cin73) Returns management platforms such as HappyReturns, Loop returns, ReturnLogic, and Returnly4) Freight and shipping solutions such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, Flexport, Freightos, Route, Rush, Shippo, ShipStation, Anvyl, AfterShip, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28206">Maersk, ECU</a> and Echo Global LogisticsIts other ingetrations include ecommerce marketing and customer support providers; custom packaging and design solutions providers; branding, marketing, and web development agencies; and accounting, tax, and financing service providers.

ShipBob

<div>
 
 Locus Robotics develops autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for warehouse automation. The company offers three AMR solutions: 1) 
 &ldquo;Locus Origin,&rdquo;
 an AMR designed for collaborative, high-volume order fulfillment; 2) 
 &ldquo;Locus Vector,&rdquo; 
 designed to handle small to medium payloads; and 3) 
 &ldquo;Locus Max,&rdquo;
 designed for larger payloads. The AMR solutions are backed by
 &ldquo;LocusONE,&rdquo;
 a warehouse automation platform that uses AI and data science to deploy and manage the AMRs. LocusONE also generates real-time actionable insights to support operational decisions. The AMRs allow integration with warehouse management systems and warehouse control systems. The company also offers warehouse automation solution 
 &ldquo;LocusEmpower,&rdquo;
 which supports a range of fulfillment types including zone-picking, discrete order picking, batch picking, and wave picking. It also offers 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27481">
 &quot;LocusHub,&quot;
 </a>
 an AI/ML-powered cloud-based business intelligence engine grounded with LocusONE for advanced analytics.
 
 
 The company offers its products on a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) basis. In August 2023, Locus&rsquo;s AMRs achieved the landmark of completing more than two billion unit picks.
 
 
 In September 2021, Locus Robotics acquired AMR provider Waypoint Robotics, which offers AMRs that are industrial-strength with omnidirectional mobility features, enabling Locus Robotics to gain access to new market segments.&nbsp;
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 As of May 2023, the company had deployed its technology at 250+ locations in partnership with 100+ brands. Its customer partnerships include ones with Ceva Logistics (Netherlands, February 2020),
 
 &nbsp;Boots (UK, November 2020), iForce Limited (UK), Cardinal Health (Canada, May 2023), GEODIS (US and Europe in 2018, and Mexico 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27443">
 in March 2024),
 </a>
 Brother Gearmotors (US, May 2023), UPS (May 2020), DHL (May 2023), 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27275">
 Booktopia
 </a>
 (Australia, March 2024), and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27659">
 John Lewis &amp; Partners
 </a>
 (UK, March 2024), globally.&nbsp;
 
 
 In June 2022, Locus partnered with SVT Robotics, an enterprise software company that provides solutions to develop and launch a pre-built integration between SVT's &ldquo;SOFTBOT&rdquo; Platform and Locus in order to facilitate faster integration of LocusBots.&nbsp;
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 As of November 2022, the company reported having USD 100 million+ in contracted recurring revenue.&nbsp;
 
 
 In November 2022, Locus Robotics
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/14949?industryIds=6">
 
 raised USD 117 million
 </a>
 
 in Series F funding co-led by Goldman Sachs Asset Management and G2 Venture Partners, valuing the company at &ldquo;close to&rdquo; USD 2 billion. The funds were to be used to facilitate the company&rsquo;s continued growth and further expand global operations.&nbsp;
 
 
 
</div>

Locus Robotics

Uses connected devices and sensors to gather information—mainly relevant for the visibility segment

Uses robotics solutions for warehouse operations and fulfillment

Automated fulfilment solutions and warehouse automation broadly fall under industry 4.0

Companies developing automation technology for warehouses like robots (including inventory drones), cobots, automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), and related software.

Boxbot

Logistics Tech

Key stats

Recent Updates

Boxbot raises USD 12 million in Series A funding; pivots from ADVs to automating warehouses

Boxbot raises USD 12 million in Series A funding; pivots from ADVs to automating warehouses

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