Agility trims its SPAC raise to $465M; Foundry Robotics raises $100M
Agility Robotics now expects to raise about $465 million in its SPAC deal, and Foundry Robotics raised $100 million for an AI-run assembly factory.
A3 reports North American robot orders up 24.8% in units in the third quarter.
Factory floor
Siemens and Nvidia prepare PCB inspection with digital twins before production starts
Siemens is combining Teamcenter, Process Preparation X and Nvidia Cosmos to prepare automated optical inspection of printed circuit boards before physical production begins. The workflow is being demonstrated at Siemens' Electronics Factory Erlangen. The stated goal is a factory that can introduce changes three to five times a week while production continues.
Schaeffler and Wandelbots partner on a robotics platform for Schaeffler plants
Schaeffler has entered a technology partnership with Wandelbots to develop the Wandelbots NOVA platform for AI in industrial and humanoid robotics. The solution should in future be available to all Schaeffler plants worldwide. The partners say the platform will reduce the life cycle costs of automation solutions by up to 40 percent.
International Paper leads $36M round for Relay and uses its smart radios at 20+ sites
International Paper led a $36 million funding round for Relay, a maker of smart radios with transcription and translation. IP first tried the devices at a plant in Tampa, Florida, and is already using them at more than 20 of its locations.
Hitachi survey: inspection leads factory AI deployments, few reach continuous optimization
In a Hitachi report based on 236 responses, 43% of manufacturing respondents reported production deployments of computer vision for inspection, followed by automated quality inspection (38%) and predictive maintenance (34%). Across the industries surveyed, 97% reported using industrial AI in some capacity, yet only 8% have reached continuous optimization and innovation.
Robotics
North American robot orders rise 24.8% in Q3, A3 reports
North American companies ordered 10,989 robots valued at $723.5 million in the third quarter, according to the Association for Advancing Automation. Orders rose 24.8% in units and 26.1% in value from a year earlier. Automotive OEM orders returned to growth, up 7.5%, while automotive component suppliers rose 90.4%.
BMW's Landshut plant develops software for AI-supported humanoid robots
BMW's Landshut plant is developing software for AI-supported humanoid robots in component production. The work complements pilot projects already underway at BMW's plants in Leipzig, Germany, and Spartanburg, SC. New approaches are first tested outside ongoing production, then implemented in pilot projects and scaled up in stages.
Energy & process industries
ANYbotics starts delivering ANYmal X, a legged inspection robot for explosive atmospheres
ANYbotics launched ANYmal X, which it claims is the world's first legged inspection robot for explosive atmospheres, aimed at oil, gas and chemicals. The company says the robot uses an industrial AI stack for routine autonomous inspections in areas dangerous to people.
Wabtec to offer Razor Labs' predictive maintenance AI to mining customers
Wabtec Digital Mine and Razor Labs announced a partnership at IMARC 2026. Wabtec will offer Razor Labs' DataMind AI predictive maintenance solution to its mining customers. The companies say DataMind AI is already deployed on haul fleets at operating mines.
Deals & funding
Agility Robotics now expects to raise $465M in SPAC deal, down from $620M
Agility and Churchill Capital Corp XI say Agility expects to raise about $465 million in the merger, compared with the $620 million it predicted in June at a $2.5 billion valuation. The raise includes about $201 million from a PIPE led by Foxconn, and Agility expects to close on Nov. 4, subject to shareholder approval.
Foundry Robotics raises $100M Series A for AI-powered assembly factory in California
Foundry Robotics raised $100 million in a Series A round led by Marlinspike Partners to expand a 130,000-square-foot facility in Emeryville. The company has not disclosed production volumes, customer contract values or independently verified productivity improvements.
Bleu Robotics raises €5M pre-seed for humanoid robot training software
Paris-based Bleu Robotics raised a €5 million pre-seed round co-led by Contrarian Ventures and OVNI Capital. The company says its model lets a robot learn a new task from as few as ten operator demonstrations.
From the tracker
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