Ukraine's Deus Robotics announced it has raised $1.5 million in seed funds. This investment was received from Ukrainian VC fund SMRK.vc in a further signal the country's tech ecosystem remains open for business, despite the fallout from Russia's aggression.
Deus Robotics creates versatile automated robots capable of sorting warehouse items and organising racks so product is ready for picking and shipping.
The funding is anticipated to help Deus Robotics attract US and European customers, following on the heels of a recent pilot programme with Ukraine's largest private postal operator, Nova Poshta.
Nova Poshta was able to deploy over 40 robots for sorting parcels in its mailing hubs, which led to a 200% increase in parcel processing speeds compared to manual warehouse workflows.
Equipped with the seed funds, Deus Robotics aims to invest in R&D while dedicating more manpower to custom-built warehouse robot deployments with specialised integrations.
The team has grown by 25% in the space of a year, and Deus Robotics is witnessing a five-fold spike in customer orders.
Up next is the launch of a US-based sales office to drive overseas expansion, with further plans to scale manufacturing through "high-profile" partnerships with "leading logistics and e-commerce companies."
It's all the more impressive given Deus Robotics was forced to halt work on the Nova Poshta contract when Russian troops moved to the outskirts of Kyiv last year.
Deus Robotics personnel were evacuated and its equipment was moved to a temporary location in western Ukraine, where development was able to continue despite regular infrastructure outages.
After Ukraine's forces had restored Kyiv's security, Deus Robotics was able to press ahead with deploying Nova Poshta's integration, which was installed in the satellite town of Bila Tservka in Kyiv Oblast.
Deus Robotics is entering a lucrative market for robotics estimated to be worth $7.5 billion at present. And Vlad Tislenko, partner at SMRK VC, praised its resilience coping in adverse conditions.
"Deus Robotics' ability to adapt and thrive in difficult circumstances is a proof of the company's strong leadership and innovative technology," Tislenko said. "As the company continues to expand and secure partnerships with clients in Europe and the USA, it's clear that Deus Robotics is poised to make a significant impact on the logistics industry.”
This article is part of Tech.eu's highlighting of remarkable Ukrainian startups on the one-year anniversary of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Read more ...
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