London AI startup BotsAndUs raises $6 million to deploy helpful robots in crowded spaces

BotsAndUs, a London-based startup that provides ‘full-stack robot systems for public spaces’, has closed a $6 million equity funding round led by Kindred Capital and Capnamic Ventures, with participation from angel investors from the UK and the US. The company was also awarded funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme as well as Innovate UK.

Two Romanian robotics engineers founded the company in 2015 with the vision of robot-human collaboration. The team has created robots that work alongside people in places such as large retail stores, shopping centres, office buildings and airports. Customers include MediaMarktSaturn, dnata, Heathrow Airport and British Airways. In addition to taking care of repetitive tasks, the robots provide round-the-clock customer service and on-site data collection and analysis.

With the new funding, BotsAndUs will grow the team, accelerate robot deployments and explore new products and services in response to a recent surge in demand for automation, according to CEO Andrei Danescu. Specifically, the startup wants to develop automation solutions for indoor, dynamic spaces, “unstructured environments where people traffic and excessive noise normally create challenges for autonomous robots”.

Russell Buckley of Kindred Capital commented, “Their pioneering robotics and AI products are at the forefront of a much needed next wave of automation - bringing robots out of factories and warehouses so they can make an impact on businesses operating in a variety of indoor, crowded, public spaces.”

Photo: co-founders Andrei Danescu (CEO) and Adrian Negoita (CTO)