Skild AI, a fast-rising startup that makes software to help robots learn to complete tasks, has bought the robotics automation division of Zebra Technologies Corp., marking its latest effort to broaden its reach in a hot segment.
Skild, which develops "brains" for a wide range of robots, plans to integrate Zebra's fleet management software, giving it the ability to control large groups of robots at once, including running an entire warehouse, Skild co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Deepak Pathak said in an interview announcing the acquisition.
This would represent a departure from the traditional method of programming robots for one specific task at a time, he said. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"Warehouse automation today is extremely fragmented, with different automation solutions that are only limited to a few scenarios," said Pathak, calling this a major efficiency roadblock. Through the deal, Skild has an opportunity to redefine how humans and various kinds of robots can work together, he added.
Robotics companies have drawn billions of dollars in investments in recent years, with many working on humanoids -- people-inspired machines that stand erect and can either walk or roll on wheels. They have so far found a home in some manufacturing facilities, where they complement existing industrial robots that can perform tasks such as assembly and transporting materials. And that segment is growing: Morgan Stanley projected last year that the market for humanoids could top $5 trillion by 2050.
Abhinav Gupta, co-founder and president of Skild AI, said in an emailed statement that the acquisition will also allow robots to be more dexterous and perform more complex tasks, including doing a better job picking up objects.
The sale marks a reversal for Zebra Technologies, which spent $290 million in 2021 to buy Fetch Robotics -- now Zebra Robotics -- a startup offering autonomous mobile robots through a robots-as-a-service model. But last year, Zebra started to step back from its standalone autonomous mobile robots division, citing high costs.
Skild, meanwhile -- a newer company, founded in 2023 -- has been growing fast. In January, it secured about $1.4 billion in a funding round that valued the company at over $14 billion, more than triple what it was worth just seven months earlier. The Series C round was led by SoftBank Group Corp., with participation from Nvidia Corp., Macquarie Group Ltd., 1789 Capital and Jeff Bezos' private investment firm Bezos Expeditions.