机器人保安 Cobalt Robotics获融$1650万
- 网安创企融资/投资人合作 加微junshao -
【180330 NBC】A start-up called Cobalt Robotics is making roving security robots for use in commercial buildings -- whether that's an office, data center or a hospital.
The robot could help companies save money on human security guards: businesses spent almost $68 billion on physical security in 2016, according to industry research by Stratistics MRC. That number is expected to surpass $125 billion by 2022, with a hefty chunk of spending going to human security guards indoors.
CNBC caught up with Cobalt Robotics CEO and co-founder Travis Deyle to see the machines in action at Fuseproject, the design studio of Yves Behar. Fuseproject helped create the look and feel of the Cobalt, which is more like consumer hardware than a piece of office equipment.
Deyle founded Cobalt in 2016 after a stint working on a smart contact lens project for Google X, the search giant's experimental research lab.
At one time, Google X included a large robotics business. But Deyle actually stayed away from that, trying to expand his horizons while he was there.
When he left Google X, he wanted to build a pure software business and avoid the cost of manufacturing hardware. But Deyle fell back in love with robotics, after teaming with CTO Erik Schluntz, an engineer who turned down a gig at SpaceX to chase entrepreneurial dreams.
Deyle explained, "Our system provides one person with situational awareness across an entire space at one time. The idea is to let machines do what they're good at and people do what they're good at."
Cobalt robots can: scan an employee's or a visitor's badge; detect open doors, water leaks, spills or intrusions, among other things. When they sense an anomaly in a building, they can alert a security specialist, who can send a guard to patrol in person as needed.
Sequoia led Cobalt's latest funding round, and partner Alfred Lin is joining the start-up's board of directors. The new, $13 million round brings Cobalt's total funding to $16.5 million to date.
Lin backed Cobalt, he said, because its robots can help companies ensure the physical safety of their employees and facilities without constantly surveying them the way CCTV cameras would do. "It's not just the utility of the thing," the investor said, "it's very empathetic, not like a PA system that's blaring at you with mics and cameras recording your every move."
Following terrible mass shootings and other related incidents, Lin says, commercial building operators have been under pressure to ramp up security, but they can't always afford all the full-time, human guards they want. He sees Cobalt's robots helping large employers and facilities to fill in the gaps.
Another early Cobalt backer, Storm Ventures Partner Paul Willard, said he expects the company to use its new capital for hiring, production and to add new capabilities to its machines.
Founders Fund, Bloomberg Beta and other investors also participated in the series A investment.
This story has been updated to reflect the total total Series A and seed funding.
更多网安创投资讯
【端点安全】进程监控 实时防护 Virsec获$2400万B轮融资
【企业并购】Palo Alto将$3亿收购云安全创企Evident.io
【云安全】混合云应用访问权限管理 Luminate获$1400万
【IoT】无人机驾驶安全 Airspace Systems获融$2000万
【威胁防护】通过无代码区识别恶意代码 Solebit 获融$1100万
【云安全】以插件代位WAF Templarbit获融$300万
【反欺诈】Proofpoint$2.25亿并购反钓鱼创企Wombat
【数据安全】帮助企业应对GDPR BigID获$1400万融资
【端点安全】混合架构协调效率与安全 Hysolate获$800万融资
【智能安防】巡逻机器人Knightscope获$2500万融资
【IoT】以色列创企VDOO获83North $1300万投资
【威胁情报】SaaS平台Anomali获$4000万D轮融资
【安全管理】外包SOC服务 Arctic Wolf获$1600万融资
【IoT】韩企Security Platform获软银$278万投资
【IoT】云车联网安全 Upstream获$900万A轮融资
【云安全】软件定义安全 ShieldX获$2500万B轮融资
【IoT】防护80亿个IoT终端 Cog获$350万A轮融资
【云安全】反恶意威胁云平台 Menlo获$4000万C轮融资
【移动安全】实时APP防护 Prevoty获$1300万B轮融资
【物联网】Tortuga Logic获融$200万打造芯片级安全
【威胁情报】ThreatQuotient获$3000万C轮融资
【智能安防】AI视频监控平台 博思廷获融¥3000万A+轮融资
【邮件安全】Proofpoint以$1.10亿收购Cloudmark
【工控安全】Enview通过AI及3D技术监控老旧管线获$600万A轮融资
【暗网监控】Recorded Future获$2500万E轮融资
【NAC】网络访问控制创企ForeScout上市融资$1.16亿
【网安测评】SecurityScorecard获诺基亚$2750万C轮融资
【威胁防护】实时防护创企Capsule8获$600万A轮融资
【容器安全】Aqua Security获$2500万B轮融资
【暗网防护】Digital Shadows获$2600万C轮融资
【反病毒】在初始阶段阻止病毒,AppGuard获3000万美元B轮融资
【每周五为您同步全球网安投融大事】