Rethink Robotics
Rethink Robotics is a Boston-based collaborative robotics company developing industrial cobots, autonomous mobile robots, and detachable mobile manipulators for manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and agriculture customers, with its IP currently held by Hahn Group following two bankruptcies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rethink Robotics does
Rethink Robotics is a Boston-based collaborative robotics company founded in 2008 that develops industrial cobots, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and detachable mobile manipulator systems for manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and agriculture customers. Its core technology centers on safe human-robot interaction without traditional safety caging, adaptive manipulation for variable production tasks, and autonomous mobility for warehouse and material-handling environments. The company monetizes through hardware sales of these robotic systems, distributed both via direct enterprise engagement at major industrial trade shows such as IMTS and through the Hahn Group industrial automation channel network following its acquisition of the company's intellectual property. Rethink Robotics originally ceased operations in 2018 after its first bankruptcy, with Hahn Group acquiring the IP and subsequently relaunching the product portfolio; the entity filed a second bankruptcy in 2025 even as new product models continued to be released. Cumulative prior venture funding totaled approximately $149.5M from investors including Bezos Expeditions, CRV, GE Ventures, Goldman Sachs, Highland Capital Partners, Sigma Partners, Two Sigma Ventures, and Wellington Management.
Rethink Robotics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rethink Robotics
- Website
- https://Rethinkrobotics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Rethink Robotics is a Boston-based collaborative robotics company developing industrial cobots, autonomous mobile robots, and detachable mobile manipulators for manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and agriculture customers, with its IP currently held by Hahn Group following two bankruptcies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rethink Robotics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Collaborative Robotics
- NAICS
- All Other Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (333248), Industrial Design Services (54142)
- SIC
- Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Collaborative Robots (Cobots) (IMAHAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Industrial Robotics & Cobots (IMAIAMAB)
Keywords
Where Rethink Robotics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rethink Robotics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Collaborative Robot Hardware Sales: Sale of collaborative robot arms and mobile manipulator systems to industrial customers
- AMR Product Sales: Autonomous mobile robot platforms for logistics and warehouse automation
- Adaptive Robotics Systems: Integrated robotics solutions for manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and agriculture sectors
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Rethink Robotics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rethink Robotics develops and sells industrial collaborative robots (cobots), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and a detachable mobile manipulator robot for manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and agriculture customers. The product line emphasizes safe human-robot collaboration without traditional safety caging, with seven cobot models debuted at IMTS 2024 and AMR platforms targeted at warehouse automation.
Product overview
Rethink Robotics is a collaborative robotics company that develops industrial cobots, AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots), and detachable mobile manipulator robots for manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and agriculture sectors. The company went through bankruptcy twice—first ceasing operations in 2018 with its IP acquired by Hahn Group, and experiencing a second bankruptcy in 2025. The product portfolio includes seven collaborative robots debuted at IMTS 2024, AMRs for warehouse automation, and detachable mobile manipulator systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Collaborative Robots (Cobots)
- Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)
- Detachable Mobile Manipulator Robot
Companies that use Rethink Robotics
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Rethink Robotics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Rethink Robotics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Hahn GroupcoreHahn Group acquired Rethink Robotics' intellectual property after the company ceased operations in 2018. This acquisition gave Hahn Group access to Rethink's collaborative robotics technology, AMRs, and mobile manipulator systems. Hahn Group subsequently relaunched Rethink Robotics products, including debuting seven collaborative robots at IMTS 2024.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rethink Robotics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Universal Robots: Universal Robots is the market-leading collaborative robot (cobot) manufacturer, offering a directly overlapping product portfolio aimed at safe human-robot interaction in manufacturing and light industrial environments — the same core use case Rethink Robotics targets.
- Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR): MiR specializes in autonomous mobile robots for warehouse and manufacturing logistics, directly overlapping Rethink's AMR product line. Both target internal material handling and warehouse automation use cases.
- Techman Robot: Techman Robot is a collaborative robot OEM with a directly comparable product (TM cobots) targeting manufacturing human-robot collaboration, making it one of the closest head-to-head competitors to Rethink's IMTS 2024 cobot launch.
- Doosan Robotics: Doosan Robotics is a collaborative robot manufacturer with a product line (A, H, M series) that directly competes in the same cobot category as Rethink, targeting manufacturing, food service, and logistics customers.
Broad incumbents
- ABB Robotics: ABB offers collaborative robots (GoFa, YuMi), industrial robots, and AMRs, with deep global channel reach. It is one of the principal competitors in the cobot and industrial automation space where Rethink operates.
- FANUC: FANUC is a global industrial robotics incumbent offering articulated robots, cobots (CRX series), and integrated automation solutions. It competes with Rethink's cobot portfolio across manufacturing and is a default incumbent for enterprise customers evaluating automation vendors.
- KUKA: KUKA provides industrial robots, cobots (LBR iiwa), and mobile platforms for manufacturing automation, directly overlapping Rethink's industrial cobot and AMR offerings for factory and warehouse use cases.
- Yaskawa (Motoman): Yaskawa offers industrial and collaborative robots through its Motoman line for manufacturing automation. It is a long-established broad incumbent competing for the same enterprise cobot deployments as Rethink.
Emerging players
- Boston Dynamics: Boston Dynamics develops advanced mobile manipulation and humanoid/quadruped robots (Stretch, Spot) targeting logistics and industrial use cases adjacent to Rethink's mobile manipulator and AMR portfolio.
- Locus Robotics: Locus Robotics is a fast-growing AMR vendor focused on warehouse fulfillment and e-commerce logistics, an adjacent but distinct autonomous mobile robotics peer to Rethink's warehouse and logistics AMR offering.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rethink Robotics social profiles
Digital presenceRethink Robotics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rethink Robotics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Rethink Robotics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds9 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rethink Robotics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rethink Robotics
What does Rethink Robotics do?
Rethink Robotics develops and sells industrial collaborative robots (cobots), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and a detachable mobile manipulator robot for manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and agriculture customers. The product line emphasizes safe human-robot collaboration without traditional safety caging, with seven cobot models debuted at IMTS 2024 and AMR platforms targeted at warehouse automation.
When was Rethink Robotics founded?
Rethink Robotics was founded in 2008. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Rethink Robotics based?
Rethink Robotics is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rethink Robotics make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Collaborative Robot Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are AMR Product Sales and adaptive Robotics Systems.
Who are Rethink Robotics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Universal Robots, Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), Techman Robot and Doosan Robotics. Broad incumbents are ABB Robotics, FANUC, KUKA and Yaskawa (Motoman). Emerging players are Boston Dynamics and Locus Robotics.
Does Rethink Robotics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rethink Robotics.
What industry is Rethink Robotics in?
Rethink Robotics's product category is Industrial Collaborative Robotics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAHAB, Collaborative Robots (Cobots), with a secondary code of IMAIAMAB, Industrial Robotics & Cobots. Its NAICS code is 333248 and its SIC code is 3550.