Robotic fulfillment system vendor Attabotics raises $50 million

Attabotics, a provider of a “3D” robotic order fulfillment system, announced $50 million (U.S.) in Series C funding. The funding, announced Aug. 18 and led by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board through its Teachers’ Innovation Platform (TIP), along with existing investor Honeywell, brings the company’s total funding to $82.7 million. The funds will be used to further accelerate Attabotics’ commercial deployment, invest in new technologies, scale manufacturing operations, and more.

Inspired by ant colonies, Attabotics’ system condenses a traditional warehouse into a single, vertical storage structure. Inside the structure, robotic shuttles move in three-dimensional space (X, Y, and Z axes) to store and deliver goods to workers on the perimeter who pick, pack and ship orders. Attabotics’ single structure also significantly reduces a retailer’s warehouse footprint (by up to 85%, according to Attabotics), allowing them to place warehouses closer to cities for faster delivery times and save money on real estate.

“We’re privileged and honored to partner with Ontario Teachers’,” says Scott Gravelle, Attabotics founder, CEO & CTO. “Attabotics has seen a significant uptick in interest from retailers and brands because we have created an innovative way for commerce companies to modernize their supply chain. COVID-19 has drastically accelerated commerce growth and demand for warehouse space, making supply chain efficiency a critical issue for all.”

The company currently has six live installations in North America spanning customers across retail, B2B, food & beverage, and one of the largest luxury retailers in the U.S., Nordstrom. Microsoft also partners with Attabotics for cloud-based supply chain management on the Azure platform.