Verizon to Acquire Autonomous Mobile Robot Software Firm Incubed IT
February 15, 2021
Verizon has announced an agreement to acquire Austria-based Incubed IT, which creates a software platform that provides autonomous navigation tools to administer, manage and optimize mixed fleets of robots in industrial settings.
Upon the closing of the acquisition and continued expansion of 5G coverage, Verizon said the Incubed IT’s autonomous software will enable enterprise customers to gain new efficiencies as they scale their autonomous mobile robot fleets. The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2021, Verizon said.
“This acquisition further demonstrates Verizon’s commitment to developing new and innovative businesses and use cases leveraging the power of 5G,” said Rima Qureshi, chief strategy officer at Verizon. “Mobile robot orchestration is a real and emerging challenge faced by enterprises today. By integrating Incubed IT’s autonomous software with Verizon’s 5G platform, we will have the ability to power robotic automation at scale. This will create new opportunities for enterprise customers to better and more effectively monitor and optimize their business processes.”
Incubed IT’s software enables robots to localize and navigate autonomously, and can be integrated into nearly any mobile robot, the company said. Products include:
- Smart Shuttle Navigation Toolkit, which transmits near real-time data to navigate autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
- Fleet Management Server, which manages the AMR fleet and routing operations
- Data Monitoring and Analytics, which provides near real-time monitoring and advanced reporting.
“Incubed IT’s next-generation software and autonomous fleet management server are foundational components for the future of terrestrial robotics,” said Elise Neel, vice president of Verizon New Business Incubation. “When we combine Incubed IT’s capabilities with the reliability, responsiveness and vast capabilities of Verizon’s 5G platform, we will enable faster, less expensive and more effective adoption of robotic automation for enterprises everywhere.”
Employees of Incubed IT will join the Verizon New Business Incubation team, whose mission is to scale new automation businesses. The company will continue to drive development, sales and support for its customers and suite of products across its robotic partners.
“We are proud of all the Incubed IT team has accomplished to get us to this point, and we look forward to expanding on our successes and capabilities,” said Stephan Gspandl, CEO at Incubed IT. “By joining the Verizon team, we have the opportunity to bring our software to broader audiences and to help create the future of robotic automation.”
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