Agility Robotics, an Albany company that makes a walking robot designed for warehouses, factories and other workplaces, said Thursday it has raised $20 million to expand production.
Agility’s robot, called Digit, is designed to take over cumbersome or dangerous tasks. The company has touted the technology as potentially suitable for package delivery, scouting the battleline in war zones, or fighting forest fires.
Its technology originated at Oregon State University, which maintains an ownership take in the business and owns patents that Agility licenses for its technology.
Though CEO Damion Shelton works in Pittsburgh, 30 of Agility’s 34 employees are in Oregon. The startup said it will use Thursday’s investments to make more Digit robots, especially for logistics customers.
Each robot costs $250,000, but Agility said it expects the price will fall as sales volume grows.
Agility has rasied $29 million altogether, including an $8 million round in 2018. Investors in Thursday’s round include DCVC and Playground Global.
Investment in Oregon startups has remained steady despite the coronavirus pandemic, with entreprenurs raising $277 million during the spring and summer, according to the latest data from the National Venture Capital Association and PitchBook, which tracks startup activity. That’s in line with historical averages over the past several years.
-- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699