Soft Robotics, a robotics system provider, raised USD 10 million in an extended Series B funding round, co-led by Material Impact, Scale Venture Partners, and Calibrate Ventures. The investor list also included the VC arm of Tyson Foods (Tyson Ventures) and several existing investors. This brings the total funds raised by the company to USD 58 million.   

Soft Robotics intends to use the funds to launch its new SoftAI technology, adding layers of 3D vision and AI to its rubber-tipped grippers (mGrip). The company also plans to allocate funds towards commercial expansion due to accelerated pandemic-driven demand. 

Meatpacking facilities became hotspots for the Covid-19 virus, therefore implementing robots in meatpacking and other food-related factories has gained momentum. Consequently, Soft Robotics reported today that it had its two largest quarters in terms of sales over the last 18 months, in its seven-year history. 

Founded in 2013, Soft Robotics offers robotic systems with soft-touch grippers enabling them to handle materials with the same dexterity and finesse as the human hand. The company’s proprietary grasping technology is particularly useful in industries using soft materials such as food, consumer goods, and cosmetics manufacturing. With proprietary knowledge of material selection, actuator geometry, and operating envelope, its soft robotic technology has more than 40 patents. Soft Robotics has also partnered with global robot manufacturers such as Universal Robots and FANUC.