Internet company Tencent led a $28m series B round for Kindred, a US-based developer of artificial intelligence (AI) robotics technology, yesterday that included venture capital firms Eclipse Ventures and First Round Capital.
Founded in 2014, Kindred has developed an AI-powered robot that can sort packages alongside human workers in warehouses and distribution centres. It is made up of a claw attached to a crane that can pick up and deposit packages in designated zones.
The company is working with fashion retailer Gap and undisclosed other partners to trial the technology in warehouses. The series B capital will be used to fund continued research and development.
George Babu, Kindred’s head of product, said: “Industrial robots, despite their accuracy and precision in the controlled environments of modern manufacturing facilities, do not adapt well to less controlled environments where the items could be randomly placed or come in a nearly infinite variety of sizes, shapes and weights.
“Kindred Sort leverages our advancements in applying AI to physical world systems and our unique approach to delivering intelligence to robots that can help solve the capacity issues facing modern fulfilment centres.”
Kindred has now brought in $44m of funding altogether. Its earlier investors include GV, a corporate venturing subsidiary of internet and technology conglomerate Alphabet, as well as VC firms Data Collective and AME Cloud Ventures, though it has not revealed details of their investments.