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North American companies purchased 31,159 robots in 2023. This is a 30% decrease from 2022. And that doesn't sit well with robotics industry veteran Juan Aparicio.
“We don’t sell or distribute enough robots in this country. There is no contingency for the need to reshore manufacturing in the near term, and the risks are high,” Aparicio said. The stakes are indeed high. Currently, 800,000 jobs are being created in the manufacturing sector. That number is expected to reach 2 million by 2030, costing the U.S. economy $1 trillion, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.
Aparicio, who worked at Siemens for 10 years and then briefly at Ready Robotics and Rapid Robotics, hopes his new startup, Reshape Automation, can solve this problem. Reshape is launching the platform as a preview release, initially focused on a select group of manufacturers, with a full rollout expected in the coming months. Companies can request access to the platform starting today, and next week Modex attendees can experience it at the Reshape booth (in the Startup Pavilion).
In the preview release, users can benefit from a variety of features, including:
- Automated Search: Curated catalog of leading automation brands, products and turnkey solutions Powered by trained 24/7 AI companions with global knowledge in manufacturing and automation.
- Supplier Match: Reshape's platform connects manufacturers with the system integrators best suited to their specific needs. Project management tools also enable real-time communication and information sharing.
- Flexible deployment options: Through the platform, manufacturers can purchase pre-configured solutions directly or request custom modifications to suit their specific requirements, ensuring a seamless deployment process. Support plans are also available as a service.
Reshape Automation seeks to make it easier for the U.S. manufacturing and logistics industries to adopt automation. At the core of the platform is an AI-powered marketplace. Reshape's marketplace will be stocked with autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), robotic arms, and a variety of components and solutions from brands such as Fanuc, Yaskawa, Robotize, Peer Robotics, Item, Nova Automation, Genba, OnRobot, Doosan, Fairino, and more. .
Customers can design and purchase pre-configured work cells and reference designs for applications such as palletizing, welding, inspection, machine tending, sorting, packaging, and more. “You can also request custom modifications,” Aparicio said.
But the platform doesn't end there. It includes a variety of project management tools to make automation deployments more efficient and enjoyable. Reshape's platform connects manufacturers with the system integrators best suited to their specific needs. Aparicio said Reshape has also created an AI agent that can be used to resolve questions and provide guidance.
And perhaps best of all, Reshape Automation provides advance notice of system and integration costs as well as when customers can expect robot delivery and installation. Aparicio said this helps eliminate the industry's need for efficient vendor-customer communication and the trial-and-error method of choosing the right systems integrator.
“Automation is difficult for many people. This market is very fragmented. “It can easily lead to analysis paralysis,” he said. “There are about 150 AMR brands. How do you choose one? “We are trying to index this industry.”
Reshape Automation has raised $1.7 million in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Schematic Ventures and also included Bee Partners. There was also a contribution from Oliver Cameron, who started self-driving car company Voyage in 2017 and sold it to Cruise in early 2021. Other robotics companies partially funded by Schematic Ventures include Plus One Robotics, Outrider, and Root AI, with AppHarvest expected to raise $60 million in 2021 and SVT Robotics.
“We were thrilled to lead Reshape Automation’s pre-seed round last year and support their mission to solve the automation challenges facing small and medium-sized manufacturers,” said Julian Counihan, general partner at Schematic Ventures. “The company’s end-to-end platform leverages AI for solution design, project management and procurement to streamline automation processes from discovery to deployment. Reshape will make the U.S. manufacturing environment more efficient, cost-effective and competitive globally.”
Aparicio is scheduled to speak at the Robotics Summit & Expo (May 1-2 in Boston). robot report. Aparicio will participate in a panel about how generative AI impacts robotics development. He will be joined by Sandra Skaff, senior alliances and ecosystem manager at NVIDIA, and Russ Tedrake, vice president of robotics research at Toyota Research Institute.
“I believe Reshape is in an exciting position to own an entirely new automation category. Manufacturers need an automation partner from concept design to deployment to ongoing, dedicated support. This means we can help bring automation products to market in both the design and deployment categories. I am your partner.” said Kira Noodleman, Partner at Bee Partners.
Aparicio said customers can use their smartphones to visualize robots or work cells in augmented reality directly in the facility. Or, if you prefer, use the AR/VR goggles that Reshape plans to demo at Modex to take a look at the robot and buy it on the moon. And eventually, the platform’s AI agents will be able to automatically design work cells for customers. For example, initially you just need to enter the size of the box you want to move. The platform then uses those specifications to configure the workcell, change dimensions, and select a robot to complete the task. Aparicio said that in the future, agents will be able to automatically design the first sketch of a workcell with simple English input, or upload photos or videos of manual tasks.
Aparicio co-founded Reshape Automation with Carlos Vanegas. The two met while living in the SF suburbs and worked together at Rapid Robotics, the only robotics enthusiast company there. Prior to joining Rapid Robotics, Vanegas served as Senior Director of Software Engineering at Bright Machines for more than three years. And this isn't Vanegas' first startup. He co-founded the software company Synthicity in 2012 and sold it to Autodesk in 2015.
“American manufacturers are fighting an uphill battle due to labor shortages. We need to bring the latest advancements in AI to their services so they can finally adopt automation as a low-risk, trusted ally to win the battle,” said Carlos Vanegas, co-founder and CTO of Reshape Automation. “In the first release of our platform, AI agents serve as navigational aids throughout manufacturers’ automation journey, starting with the early discovery and design phases. Going forward, we will expand our use of AI to provide manufacturers with better support and maintenance of their automation investments.”
Reshape “aims to be the tide that raises all boats. “Making it easier to discover, design, and purchase automation and labor will make American manufacturers more competitive and allow the ecosystem of automation suppliers and integrators to thrive.”
“In terms of robot density, the United States is barely in the top 10,” Aparicio said. “If we are successful, we will have millions of robots deployed per year rather than 30,000, resulting in a more resilient and dynamic American manufacturing industry.”