AAA Anki bringing robots into home

Anki bringing robots into home

Two Sigma Ventures, which invests the propriety capital of investment management firm Two Sigma and is the venturing capital division of Two Sigma Investments, has participated in a $50m funding round for US-based consumer robotics start-up Anki.  Other backers include venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz and Index Ventures.

Anki was founded in 2010 by Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute graduates Boris Sofman (chief executive officer), Mark Palatucci (chief product officer) and Hanns Tappeiner, as well as Marc Andreessen, partner of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.  

Marc Andreessen, Anki co-founder, said in his blog: “Andreessen Horowitz has been the main venture investor in Anki, which has been operating in stealth mode until today, since February 2012. Keeping my mouth shut about this company for 16 months has been one of the hardest things I have had to do since we started our firm!

“The profound story is that it is finally time to bring robotics and artificial intelligence out of the lab and into everyday life. The Anki team brings the kind of engineering and science normally focused on multi-million-dollar industrial and military robots into the home — controlled by your iPhone.”

Anki’s first product, Anki Drive, is a racing game using intelligent cars.  It will be on general release in the autumn.

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