Samsung Electronics stated on Tuesday that it has actually ended up being the biggest investor of South Korea-based robotics maker Rainbow Robotics, increasing its stake from 14.7% to 35% for KRW 267 billion (about $181 billion).
The electronic devices giant, which paid KRW 86.8 billion for the 14.7% stake in 2023, stated it is obtaining the stake to strengthen its robotics department and accelerate advancement of humanoid robotics. Rainbow Robotics will be incorporated as a Samsung subsidiary, and the offer is anticipated to be finished in February 2025.
The business likewise stated it would develop a Future Robotics Office straight reporting to the ceo. The offer likewise allows Rainbow Robotics to broaden to abroad markets by leveraging Samsung's reach.
Rainbow, established in 2011 by scientists at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & & Technology (KAIST) Center, has actually established dual-arm mobile manipulators and self-governing mobile robotics for applications in production and logistics. It has 86 staff members.
The establishing member of Rainbow, Dr. Jun-ho Oh, the previous biggest investor of the robotics business before the offer and an honorary teacher at KAIST, will remain on board to lead a brand-new effort called the Future Robotics Office at Samsung, and act as a consultant.
Samsung is just the current to get in the race to establish humanoid robotics that can do more autonomously. Microsoft and OpenAI are preparing to utilize their tech for a humanoid robotic, and Tesla previously this year flaunted its own take on robotics, Optimus. Nvidia, too, has strategies to launch a brand-new line of compact computer systems for humanoid robotics, called Jetson Thor, next year.
In 2022, Samsung stated that robotics, in addition to AI, 5G, and vehicle electronic devices, would be an essential part of its future efforts, recommending that prospective acquisitions in these fields might be on the horizon.
Kate Park is a press reporter at TechCrunch, with a concentrate on innovation, start-ups and equity capital in Asia. She formerly was a monetary reporter at Mergermarket covering M&A, personal equity and equity capital.
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