RobCo, a German startup offering robots-as-a-service (RaaS), has expanded its footprint into the United States, opening a new headquarters in San Francisco as the nation’s manufacturers step up automation amid labor shortages and reshoring pressures.
The company has moved quickly since entering the US eight months ago, establishing two assembly sites in Austin, operating across 14 states, and acquiring the assets of Rapid Robotics, including its hardware, customer base, and local workforce. The expansion comes as US manufacturers accelerate investment in automation to counter rising labor costs and supply chain risks.
A recent RobCo survey found that 61% of American industrial companies are fast-tracking automation initiatives, with 95% planning to add new solutions within three years. Smaller firms cited a lack of skilled workers as a top challenge, while Deloitte projects that 1.9 million US manufacturing jobs could remain unfilled by 2033 if labor gaps persist.
RobCo’s model combines modular robotic hardware, AI-powered no-code software, and a pay-as-you-go subscription structure in which customers only pay when robots are operating. By eliminating the need for system integrators, the company says it can cut deployment times from months to weeks while reducing upfront costs. Its modular robots are designed to automate repetitive and hazardous tasks such as machine tending, palletizing, dispensing, and welding.
The company’s expansion builds on rapid growth in Europe, where its customer roster includes BMW Group, Wildpack Beverage, Linamar, and Fraunhofer. RobCo has grown headcount by nearly 60% in the past year and attracted backing from Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Kindred Capital.
“It’s a pivotal moment for American industry, filled with opportunity and demand for automation, as the nation focuses on reshoring and grapples with labor shortages,” said Roman Hölzl, RobCo’s chief executive officer and co-founder.
Sequoia Capital partner Luciana Lixandru said RobCo’s modular hardware and intuitive software set it apart in a crowded field. “Its proven technology and flexible funding models are what make it unique. This is the right company at the right time to transform American industry,” she said.
