Mujin Secures $85 Million in Funding for Advanced Robot Software Solutions

An increasing number of companies are turning to automation as a shortage of skilled workers is projected to impact manufacturers through 2030.

Mujin, a startup based in Tokyo and Atlanta, is at the forefront of this movement with its AI-driven software for industrial automation. Today, Mujin announced an impressive $85 million in Series C funding, raising its total investment to $150 million. The round was led by SBI Investment, with contributions from Pegasus Tech Ventures and Accenture, among others. However, Mujin chose not to disclose its current valuation.

Founded in 2011 by Ross Diankov and Issei Takino, Mujin has developed MujinController, a platform that allows businesses to deploy and automate their industrial robots in manufacturing and logistics, all at a lower cost. CEO Diankov explained that he chose to establish Mujin in Japan, a hub for manufacturing and automation technology.

Describing Mujin's software, Diankov stated, “It serves as the definitive brain for robots, an essential component that enhances their intelligence and capabilities across various sectors.”

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MujinController currently supports over 1,000 live systems and is already utilized by several strategic partners, including leading robot manufacturers such as ABB, Fanuc, KUKA, Yaskawa, Universal Robots, and Kawasaki. The platform specializes in picking and palletizing/de-palletizing e-commerce products, and earlier this year, Mujin introduced a truck bot designed to “unload trailers and shipping containers.”

The Japanese logistics company Paltac has successfully automated its manual palletizing process using Mujin Pack, which the startup claims has led to a doubling of productivity and around a 90% decrease in labor needs. Furthermore, Mujin’s precision piece-picking technology enabled JD.com to effectively manage the handling of expensive and fragile products.

“The MujinController employs a unique approach to robotics applications by utilizing a real-time, non-volatile digital twin along with a suite of perception, planning, and control algorithms to digitize the environment and autonomously navigate robots and other industrial equipment through it,” Diankov elaborated.

Mujin plans to use the newly acquired funds for product expansion, aiming to develop innovative solutions that address changing market needs while expanding its global footprint to reach new customers.

With offices in the U.S., Japan, and China, Mujin boasts a team of over 300 employees.