Warehouse robotics startup HAI ROBOTICS secures $200 million in funding

HAI ROBOTICS, a Chinese warehouse robotics startup and provider of an autonomous case-handling robotics (ACR) system, has secured two new continuous rounds of financing, garnering approximately $200 million in total to be invested in boosting its robot fleet with technological upgrades, expanding its global operation networks, optimizing its supply chain management and corporate structure as well as talent, the company announced yesterday.

The C round funding was led by 5Y Capital with participation from Sequoia Capital China, Source Code Capital, VMS, Walden International and Scheme Capital. The D round funding, the third capital infusion for the company in 2021, was led by Capital Today with some existing investors, including Sequoia Capital China, 5Y Capital, Source Code Capital, Legend Star, and 01VC. Earlier in March, the company announced B+ round funding of US$15 million.

HAI ROBOTICS launched its first ACR system—HAIPICK—in 2015. The HAIPICK robots can pick and place totes or cartons on storage shelves up to 5 to 7 meters high and are able to carry up to 8 loads to continuously feed goods-to-person picking stations.

The global supply chain and warehousing logistics market in recent years has seen a surge of automation transformation. As per a market report by analyst firm LogisticsIQ, the warehouse automation market is expected to worth $30 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 14% since 2019.

To date, HAI ROBOTICS has been running over 200 projects around the globe with more than 2,000 ACR robots deployed, accounting for 90% share in the ACR robot market, according to the company. It has paired up with dozens of global logistics and supply chain leaders, including LG CNS, MHS, MUJIN, BPS, and Savoye, to name a few, it added.

“Our major future orientation will center on expanding the overseas market and localize our service,” said Richie Chen, the company’s cofounder and CEO.

Guo Shanshan, a partner of Sequoia Capital China, said that HAI ROBOTICS has made itself an exemplar in the logistics sector with its ACR system. “The case-handling robot is riding on the market trend that shifts towards smaller workflows, such as from pallet-picking to totes-picking. We’re very pleased to see the company’s fast growth with good innovation,” he said.