Zoho invests in Genrobotics

On the 25th of May, Zoho Corp, a technology company based in Chennai, revealed that it has invested Rs 20 crore in Genrobotics, an Indian startup that designs and develops robotic solutions to solve pressing societal concerns such as dangerous working conditions. The investment by Zoho would assist Genrobotics in achieving its aim of eliminating manual scavenging in India. The investment also represents Zoho’s aim to support the growth of the country’s deep-tech ecosystem.

Sridhar Vembu, CEO and co-founder of Zoho, said, “Nurturing a thriving deep-tech ecosystem in India is one of Zoho’s priorities, and the investment in Genrobotics is a continuation of that commitment.”

The ‘Bandicoot’ robot from Genrobotics is the world’s first robotic scavenger, and it helps refineries clean restricted places including sewage manholes, sewer wells, stormwater manholes, oily water sewers, and stormwater sewers. It has a sensor that detects hazardous gases, as well as four specially developed IP68 night vision cameras that offer pictures of the limited space through a user interface positioned safely above the manhole, allowing sanitation staff to operate safely and effectively.

Bandicoot robots are currently being used in smart cities, urban local bodies, refineries, multinational corporations, townships, and housing colonies throughout 14 states, removing the need for human entrance into manholes. They enter manholes, move around, and gain stability on varied terrains using their legs, numerous sensors, and cameras.

“Bandicoot, which combines the use of human intelligence and Artificial Intelligence, is transforming the sanitation and oil and gas industries by offering a viable alternative to the dangerous practice of manual cleaning,” said Vimal Govind MK, CEO and co-founder of Genrobotics.

Gaiter, a robot-assisted gait training system, was recently released by Genrobotics to promote the recovery of persons with paraplegia via enhanced rehabilitation experiences. Genrobotics products are created and manufactured entirely in the United States.

“Building such technological competencies and critical know-how locally can help foster sustainable growth across key sectors, like industrial manufacturing, healthcare, and energy, in turn making the country economically stronger and self-reliant,” said Sridhar Vembu, CEO and co-founder of Zoho Corp.