Chinese warehouse automation start-up Hai Robotics has secured two new continuous rounds of financing, raising US$200m (£146.2m) in total, which will be invested in technological upgrades of its robot fleet.
The funding will also assist the company to expand its global operation networks, optimise its supply chain management and corporate structure, as well as grow its team.
The series C funding was led by 5Y Capital with participation from Sequoia Capital China, Source Code Capital, VMS, Walden International and Scheme Capital.
The series D round, 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.
In March, the company announced B+ round funding of US$15m (£10.9m). The start-up said this fast funding pace offers a glimpse of the market’s appraisal for its products, technological strength and services.
Hai launched the world’s first autonomous case-handling robotics (ACR) system, HAIPICK, in 2015. The robots can pick and place totes or cartons on storage shelves up to 7m high and are able to carry up to eight loads to continuously feed goods-to-person picking stations.
According to Hai, the robots have stood out from similar mobile robots with the ability to carry cartons as well as individual totes and to bring multiple cases to pickers or conveyors in one movement. It can help realise warehouse automation in just a week, increase storage density by 80-130%, and improve staffs’ work efficiency by up to four times.
Guo Shanshan, a partner of Sequoia Capital China, said that Hai Robotics has made itself a leader 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 added.
