Technology Review has a seminal article that highlights a significant step for start-ups in robotics. They are beginning to attract the attention of venture capitalists.
After years of caution, venture capitalists are warming up to robotics companies such as iRobot, Zoom Systems, and InTouch Technologies.
Venture capitalists tend to be fairly conservative people -- despite their reputation for risk taking. Consequently, few robot-makers have received venture funding. In fact, it's possible that many VCs put robot business models on a par with time travel and jet-pack transportation.
With the announcement of a $115 million IPO by Burlington, MA-based iRobot, though, companies commercializing robot technology are beginning to attract VC attention. On his blog Feld Thoughts, venture capitalist Brad Feld admits to such hindsight: “iRobot will go down in my history as one of those companies I was too stupid to invest in...Robotic Vacuum Cleaner? C’mon."
This may herald a further advance in the commercialisation of robots in the domestic and healthcare sectors. Check out iRobot's autonomous hoover...