The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s “Science and Technology Directorate” (S&T) Group recently developed something new:
A robotic arm that could defuse a bomb.
Here’s what it looks like:
S&T had some help…
It developed the arm with two groups that have experience in this area: Israel’s Ministry of Public Security (MOPS), and the Israel National Police Bomb Disposal Division (INPBDD).
Today, all three groups can deliver robotic capabilities to law enforcement and the military.
In other words, robots will be engaged in saving lives.
It makes you wonder: what else could robots be used for?
The Great Resignation
The year 2021 was an unusual one for the labor market.
A whopping 47 million American workers quit their jobs.
Some are calling it the Great Resignation.
But whatever you call it, the U.S. finds itself in the middle of an historic labor shortage.
This is impacting some of our most important industries, from manufacturing and hospitality, to healthcare and construction. These industries can’t find the workers they need.
What can we do?
Robots Get to Work
Simple: bring in the robots.
Robots can fill many of the jobs that ordinary workers can’t do, don’t want to do, or shouldn’t do — from making hamburgers and sorting inventory to disarming bombs.
This is an enormous opportunity. To see proof, just look how much money professional investors are devoting to robotics startups:
In 2021, venture capitalists invested more than $17 billion into robotics startups. That’s triple the amount they invested the prior year.
And meanwhile, major companies such as Amazon and Chipotle are devoting more and more resources to incorporate robots into their businesses. Amazon uses robots for picking and packing at its warehouses; Chipotle uses them to make tortilla chips!
A Few Robotic Startups Raising Capital Today
As an investor, this sector provides enormous financial opportunity.
Here are a few robotic startups currently raising money from investors like you.
Ally Robotics — Ally creates “smarter, lighter, cheaper” robotic arms for the restaurant industry and beyond. It also offers a no-code programming option, so anyone can teach behaviors and tasks to its robots via demonstration.
Tombot — Tombot is a lifelike robotic dog that provides mental-health support. One of its robots, Jennie, was designed in conjunction with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. Jennie is aimed at treating symptoms of dementia, autism, and PTSD.
Massage Robotics — Currently, there’s a shortage of massage therapists, and prices are escalating. Robotic therapists are a potential solution — and Massage Robotics is at the cutting-edge of this opportunity. Google invested in this startup, and has helped it develop the Machine Learning, AI, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities of a robot called Alex.
But Remember…
Keep in mind:
I’m not recommending that you go and blindly invest in these startups.
These are early-stage ventures, so you need to do substantial research before making an investment decision.
But if you believe in the robotics mega-trend, they could be a great place to start your search.
Happy Investing
Please note: Crowdability has no relationship with any of the startups we write about. We’re an independent provider of education and research on startups and alternative investments.
Best Regards,
Founder
Crowdability.com
