Sevensense gets acquired by ABB
11.01.2024
Sevensense's innovative prowess has caught the attention of ABB, a global leader in the robotics industry, culminating in a partnership that promises to redefine the landscape of AI-powered mobile robotics.
 Sevensense Robotics' team
|
 |
Originally founded in 2018 as an ETH spin-off, Swiss startup Sevensense, renowned for its AI-enabled 3D vision navigation technology for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), is now the focal point of an acquisition by ABB. This strategic union will support Sevensense's growth and mission, leveraging at the same time ABB's expansive scale and industry leadership.
Sevensense's innovative navigation technology blends artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D vision, allowing AMRs to make intelligent decisions in dynamic environments. By employing Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (Visual SLAM) technology, these robots can create maps independently after manual guidance, reducing commissioning time from weeks to days. The constantly updated maps are shared across the fleet, providing instant scalability without interrupting operations and greater flexibility than other navigation technologies.
The technology has already proven transformative in the automotive manufacturing and logistics sectors, bringing faster and more efficient operations to companies like Ford and Michelin. For Ford, Visual SLAM-enabled ABB AMRs are expected to generate efficiency gains in production sites in the United States. Simultaneously, Michelin plans to utilize the technology in intralogistics at its factory in Spain, with other automotive manufacturers set to roll out the technology in various locations including the UK, Finland, and Germany.
ABB's acquisition of Sevensense is not the first collaboration between the two entities. ABB had indeed previously made a minority investment in Sevensense in 2021, the same year it acquired ASTI Mobile Robotics. This strategic move reflects ABB's commitment to stay ahead of the curve with innovation in the robotics industry.
Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed, but the integration of Sevensense's technology into ABB's AMR portfolio is expected to provide an unprecedented combination of speed, accuracy, and payload. This integration follows successful pilot customer projects in the automotive and logistics sectors, demonstrating the practical application and value of Sevensense's technology.
The acquisition aligns with ABB's vision of capitalizing on the growing market for mobile robots, which is anticipated to experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20 per cent through 2026, reaching USD 9.5 billion from USD 5.5 billion. ABB's AI-powered 3D vision technology positions the company as a key player in driving this growth, offering advanced solutions that cater to the evolving needs of industries relying on autonomous mobile robots.
Sevensense was ranked among the TOP 100 Swiss Startups in 2020 and 2023, participated in Venture Leaders Technology in 2020, and won Venture Kick Stage II in 2019.
"Venturelab was a key early-stage supporter, their great team helped us in shaping the Sevensense story in the right direction," stated Gregory Hitz, CEO of Sevensense.
Sevensense Robotics' team
Sevensense's innovative navigation technology blends artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D vision, allowing AMRs to make intelligent decisions in dynamic environments. By employing Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (Visual SLAM) technology, these robots can create maps independently after manual guidance, reducing commissioning time from weeks to days. The constantly updated maps are shared across the fleet, providing instant scalability without interrupting operations and greater flexibility than other navigation technologies.
The technology has already proven transformative in the automotive manufacturing and logistics sectors, bringing faster and more efficient operations to companies like Ford and Michelin. For Ford, Visual SLAM-enabled ABB AMRs are expected to generate efficiency gains in production sites in the United States. Simultaneously, Michelin plans to utilize the technology in intralogistics at its factory in Spain, with other automotive manufacturers set to roll out the technology in various locations including the UK, Finland, and Germany.
ABB's acquisition of Sevensense is not the first collaboration between the two entities. ABB had indeed previously made a minority investment in Sevensense in 2021, the same year it acquired ASTI Mobile Robotics. This strategic move reflects ABB's commitment to stay ahead of the curve with innovation in the robotics industry.
Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed, but the integration of Sevensense's technology into ABB's AMR portfolio is expected to provide an unprecedented combination of speed, accuracy, and payload. This integration follows successful pilot customer projects in the automotive and logistics sectors, demonstrating the practical application and value of Sevensense's technology.
The acquisition aligns with ABB's vision of capitalizing on the growing market for mobile robots, which is anticipated to experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20 per cent through 2026, reaching USD 9.5 billion from USD 5.5 billion. ABB's AI-powered 3D vision technology positions the company as a key player in driving this growth, offering advanced solutions that cater to the evolving needs of industries relying on autonomous mobile robots.
Sevensense was ranked among the TOP 100 Swiss Startups in 2020 and 2023, participated in Venture Leaders Technology in 2020, and won Venture Kick Stage II in 2019.
"Venturelab was a key early-stage supporter, their great team helped us in shaping the Sevensense story in the right direction," stated Gregory Hitz, CEO of Sevensense.
Sevensense Robotics' team