Manufacturing & Retail top picks: A wave of automation-driven disruption

In the past two editions, the framework has identified the most promising startups in emerging industries, equipping innovators with the knowledge to identify the best companies before they reach product maturity.

For the 2024 cohort, we focus on identifying the top 20 startups in specific industries. The following is an excerpt of one report from a series of sector-specific reports covering Top Picks for 2024. It focuses on Manufacturing & Retail, exploring industries like Smart Factory, Retail Industry Robots, Additive Manufacturing, Digital Twin, Bio-based Materials, and Automated Stores.

Key takeaways

Use cases for digital twins are expanding as companies explore innovative applications for the technology beyond manufacturing. Unlearn.AI is using digital twins to accelerate clinical trials, while Hayden AI is using the technology to help the public sector manage urban traffic. For enterprises, digital twins help provide a holistic view of operations (Cosmo Tech) and facilitate decision-making.

Smart factory solutions continue to be popular, as the adoption of Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing solutions grows. Startups ranged from those offering end-to-end factory automation (RIOS) to those targeting specific use cases such as monitoring and maintenance (Tractian, ThinkIQ), with some even providing the hardware and software ecosystem for manufacturers to create integrated robotic systems (NEURA Robotics).

The retail industry is also increasingly turning to robotics to solve labor shortages and to reduce operational costs. Companies such as Fulfil Solutions and Pensa Systems are helping to accelerate efficiency in the sector, boasting accuracy rates of 99% and 98% for their micro-fulfillment robots and autonomous drones, respectively.

SPEEDA Edge top picks for 2024

Source: SPEEDA Edge

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