Brightpick brings in $12M to deploy more mobile picking robots in the U.S.

By The Robot Report Staff | November 12, 2024

Brightpick today announced that it has raised an additional $12 million in a mix of equity and debt funding. The company said it will primarily use the new funding to support the deployment of robots and artificial intelligence in the U.S., which is expected to generate 50% of its revenue in 2024.

“Since launching Brightpick Autopicker early last year, we’ve experienced tremendous interest from new customers,” said Jan Zizka, co-founder and CEO. “Our unique technology offers greater labor and cost savings than any other solution, which resonates strongly with customers. Our focus has always been on scaling in the US, where we’re now seeing the most traction. These funds will primarily support additional customer installations in that market.”

Brightpick spun off in 2021 from Bratislava, Slovakia-based Photoneo, a developer of 3D robotic vision sensors and intelligence software. The company, which is headquartered near Cincinnati in Erlanger, Ky., is part of Photoneo Brightpick Group, which has more than 8,000 technology installations across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

Autopicker applies AI to fulfillment

Brightpick offers AI robots for warehouses to automate every step of fulfillment, from order picking and consolidation to dispatch and stock replenishment. The company claimed that its award-winning mobile manipulator is the only one in the world that robotically picks and consolidates orders directly in the warehouse aisles, like a human with a cart.

The flagship Autopicker system, first announced in 2023, takes just weeks to deploy and enables companies to minimize the labor needed for order fulfillment, said Brightpick.

The company added that it now has more 200 employees and over 300 AI robots deployed across the U.S. and Europe. Its customers include leading companies such as Rohlik Group, Dr. Max, and The Feed.

Last year, Autopicker was the 2024 RBR50 Application of the Year winner. The system stood out for its ability to automate both mobile manipulation and each picking. 

Brightpick funding totals $47M

To date, Photoneo has invested more than $35 million in Brightpick, with this latest round bringing total funding to $47 million.

The round saw participation from new investor EBRD Venture Capital alongside existing investors Pavel Baudiš and Eduard Kučera (founders of Avast), Miroslav Trnka (founder of ESET), Maximilian Kolowrat-Krakowsky, and Juraj Duriš.

“We are excited to support Brightpick as they continue to revolutionize warehouse automation with their innovative technology,” said Bruno Lusic of EBRD Venture Capital. “Their ability to deliver unmatched efficiency and cost savings to customers positions them as a leader in the market, and we are confident that their rapid growth in the U.S. will further strengthen their leading position.”

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