Slovak Robotics Startup Brightpick Secures €11.3M

Warehouse automation startup Brightpick, a 2021 spinoff from Slovakian robotics and AI firm Photoneo, has secured €11.3 million ($12 million) in combined equity and debt funding. This investment, led by new backer EBRD Venture Capital alongside existing supporters such as Avast founders Pavel Baudiš and Eduard Kučera and ESET founder Miroslav Trnka, will drive Brightpick’s expansion in the US market.

Brightpick’s advanced AI robots streamline warehouse operations by automating each step of order fulfillment, from picking to dispatching and restocking. Its flagship robot, the Brightpick Autopicker, functions as a mobile unit that navigates warehouse aisles, mimicking the tasks of a human with a cart. The technology, which can be deployed in weeks, aims to cut labor costs and enhance efficiency.

CEO Jan Zizka explained that the new funding will support further customer installations in the US, where demand for their solution is strongest. He said the company’s unique technology offers greater labor and cost savings than any other solution, which resonates strongly with customers. Brightpick currently operates over 300 AI robots across warehouses in the US and Europe, with its US headquarters located near Cincinnati, Ohio.

Featured image: Credit: Brightpick