BOW, the trailblazing universal robotics software company, has secured £4 million in a seed funding round led by Northern Gritstone. The round included co-investors Finance Yorkshire and Praetura Ventures, as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II. This pivotal investment will accelerate the development of BOW’s innovative platform and software development kit (SDK), making it easier than ever for developers to program and manage robotics applications across any platform or robot model.
This milestone comes just two months after BOW appointed Liz Upton, Co-Founder of Raspberry Pi (LSE:RPI), as Chair of the Board, further underscoring the company’s commitment to scaling its groundbreaking solutions.
Addressing Complexity in a Growing Market
The global robotics market is expected to reach a staggering $260 billion by 2030. Despite this growth, the industry faces significant barriers, particularly the cost and complexity of programming robots. Traditionally, developing robotics applications has required specialized roboticists, with applications often being incompatible across different robot models. This lack of standardization hampers innovation and slows adoption across industries.
BOW’s platform, named “Bettering Our Worlds”, addresses these challenges by offering a universal software solution. With the BOW SDK, developers can program robots using their preferred operating system and coding language, including Python, C++, JavaScript, and more. This compatibility reduces reliance on robotics specialists, enabling generalist developers to create, deploy, and manage robotics applications seamlessly. Applications can also be effortlessly ported between different robot makes and models, fostering a new era of innovation and accessibility.
Founded in 2020, BOW is one of the world’s leading universal robotics software company, working with robotic hardware manufacturers, OEMs, system integrators, and developers to simplify robotics programming and accelerate innovation. BOW’s platform empowers developers to build robotics applications using any programming language and operating system, creating flexible, scalable solutions for real-world and simulated environments.
Nick Thompson, CEO of BOW, emphasized the transformative potential of the platform: “Robotics has an almost unlimited potential to solve global challenges, but the industry’s growth is hampered by the high costs and complexities of programming robots. BOW’s universal platform and SDK eliminate these barriers, empowering any developer to create and deploy robotics applications with unprecedented ease. This funding will help us expand our team, enhance our platform, and unleash the full potential of robotics.”
A Universal Toolkit for Robotics
BOW simplifies robotics programming by managing the complexities of robot actuators, motor control, and sensors through its SDK and platform. Developers can:
- Build robotics applications using their preferred programming languages and operating systems.
- Test applications in real-time simulators before deployment.
- Seamlessly switch between simulated and real-world environments.
- Enable multi-robot control and fleet management.
BOW’s advanced features, such as inverse kinematics and ultra-low latency communication, further streamline the development process. The SDK also integrates seamlessly with popular middleware like ROS (Robot Operating System), making it compatible with existing robotics ecosystems while eliminating the need for complex hardware-specific coding.
BOW enables developers to handle all the complexities of robot actuators, motor control, sensors, and features while leveraging advanced functionalities like real-time simulation, multi-robot control, and VR teleoperation. With BOW Insight, developers can visualize robot sensor data, issue commands, and control robots in real-time, making robotics programming intuitive and efficient.
Daniel Camilleri, CTO and Founder of BOW, highlighted the significance of this achievement: “This funding validates our vision of simplifying robotics for developers everywhere. By bridging the gap between hardware and software, BOW enables a future where robotics is accessible to everyone, from seasoned professionals to those just entering the field.”
Supporting Innovation in the North of England
Founded in 2020 as a spinout from the University of Sheffield, BOW is headquartered in Sheffield, a city with a strong legacy of scientific research and technological innovation. Northern Gritstone, which led the funding round, is committed to fostering growth in science and technology businesses across the North of England.
Duncan Johnson, CEO of Northern Gritstone, remarked: “BOW exemplifies the innovative spirit of businesses emerging from the North of England. Their platform has the potential to transform the robotics industry globally, and we’re proud to support their journey.”
The investment also underscores the University of Sheffield’s pivotal role in advancing robotics innovation. Ranked among the top 100 universities globally the university continues to contribute groundbreaking research that underpins commercial success stories like BOW.
Professor Sue Hartley, Vice-President for Research and Innovation at the University of Sheffield, noted: “Sheffield’s research excellence drives innovation across industries. This funding highlights the importance of commercializing research to address real-world challenges and underscores our university’s impact on advancing robotics technology.”
Enabling a New Era of Robotics
BOW’s platform empowers developers at all levels to create functional robotics solutions without needing to navigate the complexities of hardware integration. By enabling intuitive development and offering features like real-time simulation, multi-robot control, and AI-powered capabilities, BOW is setting a new standard in robotics software.
The company’s ecosystem includes the BOW Hub for managing robot licenses, BOW Insight for real-time visualization, and tools for seamless deployment across platforms. With ultra-low latency communications optimized through WebRTC, BOW ensures efficient and responsive robot control, even across continents.
The Future of Robotics is Here
BOW’s mission to “derisk” robotics development and lower barriers to entry marks a transformative step for the industry. By simplifying robotics programming and enabling broader participation, BOW is paving the way for innovations that will shape the future. Whether it’s industrial automation, healthcare, or logistics, the possibilities are endless.
This £4 million seed funding positions BOW as a leader in universal robotics software, ready to unlock the full potential of the robotics revolution.
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