O-ID Raises $1.2M to Develop Modular Industrial Robot Platform in Japan

O-ID has raised USD 1.2 million in pre-seed funding to move its Modular industrial robot from prototype toward production. Led by TAWANI Ventures, the round also includes Hustle Fund, Techstars and angel investors. O-ID says the capital will support development of its first production system and preparation for factory pilots in Japan. Tech.eu · The Next Web

The platform is designed around replaceable joints, limbs, compute modules and end effectors that can be hot-swapped on the factory floor, allowing components to be serviced without taking the whole robot out of operation. O-ID says it is assembling the system in Japan and working with local manufacturers and automotive suppliers as it develops a more domestic supply chain. The company has also filed a provisional U.S. patent covering elements of its modular connector technology. Tech.eu

The current platform uses a wheeled base rather than bipedal locomotion, with initial target applications in automotive manufacturing and logistics. The Next Web

Alongside the funding, O-ID signed a letter of intent with Sumitomo Electric Industries to explore using Sumitomo technology in robot wire harnesses. The agreement is exploratory, not a supply contract; O-ID plans to move the platform toward Japanese factory deployment before expanding into additional industries and potentially the United States. Robotics and Automation News