The European Union regulators are investigating Amazon's proposed $1.7 billion acquisition of iRobot, the company behind Roomba robot vacuum cleaners, due to concerns about potential competition limitations and Amazon's growing dominance in the online marketplace. They are also examining how access to iRobot users' data could give Amazon an advantage in online marketplace services and data-related markets. Meanwhile, tech startups Verity, Pano AI, Simbe, and Bedrock have secured significant funding for their innovative projects. Verity, which collaborates with Ikea, has raised additional funds to meet the demand for supply chain automation, while Pano AI's wildfire detection system has secured a funding extension.
Simbe, a robotics company that focuses on in-store inventory monitoring, has secured $28 million in Series B funding, following their successful $26 million Series A funding in 2019. Bedrock, a startup focused on underwater projects, has secured $25.5 million in funding to transform the field of ocean mapping with their autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). The company plans to sell the valuable data collected by their AUVs.
Key takeaways:
European Union regulators are investigating Amazon's proposed $1.7 billion acquisition of iRobot due to concerns about competition limitations and data access.
Swiss startup Verity has raised additional funding to meet the growing demand for supply chain automation, with its drone technology deployed in 16 Ikea warehouses across Europe.
Pano AI has secured an extension to its Series A funding for its automated wildfire detection system, bringing the total to $37 million.
Simbe and Bedrock, startups focused on inventory monitoring robots and underwater mapping respectively, have each secured significant funding to expand their operations.
