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In an era defined by a scarcity of skilled labor, automation has emerged as the silver bullet for manufacturers, poised to reshape the industrial landscape. Tokyo and Atlanta-based startup Mujin, a trailblazer in AI-based software for industrial automation, envisions a world where robots not only enhance productivity but also bolster safety. Today, Mujin unveils an impressive $85 million in Series C funding, propelling its total funding to $150 million. The latest round, spearheaded by SBI Investment and featuring heavyweights like Pegasus Tech Ventures and Accenture, charts an exciting course for the future of automation.
The future of manufacturing is at an automation crossroads, and companies worldwide are keenly aware of the pressing need to embrace technology-driven solutions. As a beacon of innovation in this landscape, Mujin has steadily risen to prominence since its inception in 2011 by co-founders Ross Diankov and Issei Takino. Headquartered in both Tokyo and Atlanta, the company's mission revolves around unleashing the transformative potential of robotics within industrial settings.
Mujin's crown jewel, the MujinController, stands at the forefront of their arsenal. This AI-driven software platform empowers users to effortlessly deploy and automate a wide array of applications for industrial robots. It does so while keeping costs in check, effectively democratizing automation. CEO Ross Diankov articulates the platform's essence as "the definitive brain for robots," a pivotal component driving their intelligence and capabilities across diverse industries.
MujinController has already left an indelible mark, supporting over 1,000 systems in production. Strategic partnerships with leading robot original equipment manufacturers, including ABB, Fanuc, KUKA, Yaskawa, Universal Robots, and Kawasaki, underscore its relevance in the industry.
Mujin's platform excels in tasks such as picking and palletizing/de-palletizing e-commerce products. Notably, the company unveiled a truck bot designed to "unload trailers and shipping containers." Japanese logistics firm Paltac's adoption of Mujin Pack transformed their manual palletizing process, doubling productivity and slashing labor requirements by a staggering 90%. Meanwhile, JD.com harnessed Mujin's precision piece-picking technology to handle delicate items, showcasing its versatility.
Diankov elucidates Mujin's groundbreaking approach: "The MujinController introduces a unique approach to creating robotics applications, leveraging a real-time non-volatile digital twin and offering a suite of perception, planning, and control algorithms to digitize the real world and autonomously move robots and other industrial equipment through it."
The $85 million Series C funding catapults Mujin into an exciting phase. These funds will bolster product expansion efforts, ushering in advanced solutions and applications tailored to evolving market demands. Moreover, Mujin is gearing up for global expansion, poised to reach new markets and customers across the globe.
With offices in the U.S., Japan, and China and a dedicated team of over 300 employees, Mujin's influence extends far beyond its origins. As the industrial automation revolution gains momentum, Mujin stands as a beacon, illuminating the path to a future where technology and robots redefine the manufacturing landscape.
