• Veo Robotics enables seamless human-robot collaboration, enhancing safety and efficiency in industrial environments.
  • Their funding round of $29 Million was led by Amazon's Industrial Innovation Fund, Yamaha Motor Ventures, and Safar Partners.
  • FreeMove is certified by TÜV Rheinland for compliance with ISO 13849 for PLd, Category 3.

While we might not yet have flying cars and hoverboards, we are certainly taking wide strides in the robotics industry. Veo Robotics is leading the way as a key innovator in human-machine collaboration.

The Future of Manufacturing

Veo Robotics realized that, while manufacturing applications need the speed and strength of industrial robots, they also need the skill and resourcefulness that only people can provide.

Patrick Sobalvarro, Clara Vu, and Scott Denenberg set out with a mission to do exactly that; build the next generation of collaborative robotics systems.

Set in Waltham, Massachusetts, Veo Robotics has been revolutionizing industrial automation since 2016, enabling safe and efficient interaction between humans and robots.

Veo Robotics' venture capital funding stood at $28 million in 2019, from prominent investors such as Google Ventures, Lux Capital, and Baidu Ventures, demonstrating strong support for their groundbreaking vision.

Veo Robotics' Golden Child

The core of Veo's innovation is its flagship product, FreeMove, a 3D safeguarding system designed to make industrial robots safe for human interaction.

They have stepped away from the traditional collaborative robots that we have seen, which are limited in capacity and speed, to industrial robots that operate at full speed while ensuring the safety of nearby human workers.

This system integrates advanced computer vision, modern algorithms, and dual-channel computing platforms to continuously monitor the work in real-time.

Innovations in Safety and Flexibility

Safety is always a priority in concern with any such high-tech products and that has always been the cornerstone of Veo Robotics' practice since its inception.

The company worked closely with safety standard organizations to ensure that FreeMove meets all the rigid requirements that are necessary to protect workers that are in industrial settings.

FreeMove's feature that allows one to adjust the robot's or stop its operation based on the proximity of human workers is a substantial improvement over traditional safeguarding methods.

The cherry on top is the system's flexibility. It allows for easy reconfiguration to accommodate changes in the production process.

Thus reducing the time and cost required to set up and maintain work cells, making it ideal for industries where adaptability is crucial.

Veo FreeMove's safety and flexibility were recognized by TÜV Rheinland which certified them for compliance with ISO 13849 for PLd, Category 3.

Partnerships, Impact, and Investment

Over the years Veo Robotics has formed strategic partnerships with FANUC, Yaskawa, ABB, and KUKA, leading robot manufacturers, which helped ensure that the FreeMove system is compatible with some of the most widely used industrial robots

To widen the use of its technology across sectors, including aerospace, automotive, household appliances, and more; Veo Robotics collaborated with Certified Systems Integrators like Calvary Robotics and Factory Automation Systems (FAS).

The company's impact was more so felt during COVID-19. With disruptions challenging traditional operations, the demand for industrial robots surged, with orders increasing by 28% in 2021, according to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3).

At this crucial point, Veo Robotics took center stage and equipped manufacturers with the tools to safely incorporate dynamic human-robot interactions into their workflows, making companies more agile and responsive to market changes.

Veo Robotics announced a $29 million investment round in March 2023. This funding, led by Amazon's Industrial Innovation Fund, Yamaha Motor Ventures, and Safar Partners, aimed to accelerate Veo’s strategy of deploying advanced collaborative robotic solutions.

Towards a New Era of Collaboration

In August 2024, Veo Robotics was acquired by Symbotic Inc. for $8.7 million. Symbotic, a leader in logistics automation, absorbed Veo’s assets, including the FreeMove technology and its key employees.

This acquisition marked a new chapter for Veo as it joined forces with Symbotic to further enhance safety and efficiency in environments where humans and robots work closely together.

Veo’s co-founders have taken on significant roles within Symbotic, continuing their work on FreeMove under Symbotic’s umbrella.

“The newest generation of intelligent robotic systems work with people, not separately from them,” said Clara Vu

Through this integration with Veo's cutting-edge technology, Symbotic aims to elevate its position in the market, offering more advanced and safer automation solutions to industries worldwide.

Edited By Annette George