Robotics technology startup Soft Robotics Inc. said today it has raised $23 million in new funding to further build out its growth strategy along with further technological development.

The Series B round was co-led by Calibrate Ventures and Material Impact and included FANUC Corp., Honeywell, Hyperplane, Scale, Tekfen Ventures and Yamaha.

Founded in 2013, Soft Robotics designs and sells automation robotics solutions that works with supply chains ranging from manufacturers through to distributors. Industries where the company’s robotic solutions are deployed include food and beverage, consumer goods and cosmetics manufacturing, and e-commerce supply chains.

Soft Robotics provides its automation solutions through proprietary grasping technology, machine vision and software solutions to enable automation at scale. The grasping technology is described as mimicking an Octopus using “rubbery-tipped appendages.” Given the demonstration video, that’s a fair description:

That gripping and grasping ability is key to what Soft Robotics is offering. As The Spoon noted, with supermarket distribution centers starting to implement more robotic fulfillment centers, “the ability to pick up fresh and delicate items will expand a retailer’s ability to automate fulfillment of online grocery orders.” The technology potentially goes further, expanding into the ability to safety handle fragile items such as medicines.

“Variability is the kryptonite of the robotics industry,” Soft Robotics Chief Executive Officer Carl Vause said in a statement. “By offering a system that is able to grasp and manipulate items that vary in size, shape and weight, we are able to solve the problem of high variability in both products and processes.”

The company doesn’t stop at distribution, working with e-commerce, logistics and retail customers to address high costs involved in online returns logistics. Soft Robotics’ technology is said to handle “the most unstructured and delicate items,” meaning that even the processing of product returns can be automated. Given the current labor shortages in the U.S., Soft Robotics claims, its technology can bring automation to industries in dire need of such solutions.

Including the new funding, Soft Robotics has raised $48 million to date.

Photo: Soft Robotics