RobCo Opens San Francisco HQ, Acquires Rapid Robotics to Accelerate US Automation Push

• RobCo, the robot-as-a-service company, has opened a San Francisco headquarters and acquired Rapid Robotics’ assets to grow its US footprint.
• The company now operates in 14 states and reports that 95% of US industrial firms plan to add automation in the next three years.

RobCo has launched in the US with a new headquarters in San Francisco. Since entering the market eight months ago, RobCo has expanded to 14 states and opened two assembly sites in Austin. The company has also acquired the assets of Rapid Robotics, including its hardware, customer base, and team.

RobCo offers a robot-as-a-service model that includes modular hardware, no-code software, and pay-per-use pricing. This setup helps businesses automate tasks like welding and palletizing without long lead times or upfront costs.

New research from RobCo shows that 61% of US industrial firms are speeding up their automation plans. Nearly all (95%) expect to add new automation systems within one to three years. A lack of skilled workers is a top concern, especially for smaller companies.

The US rollout follows strong growth in Europe, where RobCo has increased its team by nearly 60% and now supports brands like BMW Group, Wildpack Beverage, and Fraunhofer. The company is backed by Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed, and Kindred Capital, and sees continued interest in flexible automation models. 42% of surveyed US firms are considering subscriptions to fund robotics deployments.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

Turning automation into a pay-as-you-go service lowers the barrier and risk for manufacturers, especially smaller organizations, that can’t afford big upfront investments.

Source: RobCo