Robotic Biology Institute

What Robotic Biology Institute does

Robotic Biology Institute Inc. (ロボティック・バイオロジー・インスティテュート株式会社) is a Tokyo-based biotechnology and robotics company founded on June 22, 2015 as a technology transfer venture from Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). The company develops, sells, maintains, and operates LabDroid Maholo (まほろ), a dual-arm 7-axis humanoid robot designed to perform complex life science laboratory bench work — including cell culture, proteomics, drug screening, and RNA-seq — using the same tools and equipment as human researchers. The core technology differentiates from conventional 6-axis lab automation by introducing an additional twisting joint axis for greater dexterity in confined bench spaces, and is integrated with computer vision for automated cell state judgment and AI-driven protocol optimization (in partnership with Epistra).

RBI generates revenue through three channels: (1) hardware sales and maintenance of Maholo robot systems, (2) a fee-for-service "Robot Sharing" model in which researchers submit samples to RBI's facilities for automated experimentation, and (3) managed facility operations, including the Robotic Biology Center (RBC) and the Robot Future Creation Center at Institute of Science Tokyo. The customer base spans elite Japanese research institutions (RIKEN, University of Tsukuba, Kyushu University, Kyoto University CiRA, Keio University, Hoshi University), pharmaceutical companies (Astellas Pharma, Shionogi), and regenerative medicine developers (Vision Care Group). The company has obtained regulatory milestones including MHLW approval in 2022 for clinical research on retinal pigment epithelium deficiency using Maholo, and has secured ISO/IEC 27001 certification for information security.

The business model reflects a hybrid hardware + services + consumables approach characteristic of life science automation companies: high-margin service revenue is layered on top of a smaller installed base of capital equipment. International expansion was announced in 2016 but the English service page notes "International service is not available now," indicating the company remains operationally Japan-centric. The company has ~60-member international consortium (Robotic Biology Consortium) spanning 30 research institutions, providing scientific validation and protocol-sharing ecosystem effects.

Name

Robotic Biology Institute

Legal name

Robotic Biology Institute Inc.

Website

https://rbi.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tokyo-based Robotic Biology Institute develops LabDroid Maholo, a dual-arm 7-axis humanoid robot that automates life science bench work. The company sells robots, runs a Robot Sharing service, and provides proteomics, drug screening, RNA-seq, and cell culture services to Japanese academic and pharmaceutical clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Laboratory Automation Robotics

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (33331), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanoid & General-Purpose Robots (HDAAAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robot Software, Autonomy Stacks & Simulation (ROS, digital twins) (HDAAAIAK), Robot Hardware, Actuators & Components (sensors, grippers, motors) (HDAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Laboratory automation robots
• Humanoid life-science robot
• Cell culture automation
• Drug screening services
• Robot sharing service

Headquarters

HQ city

Koto

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. LabDroid robot system sales and maintenance: RBI develops, manufactures, and sells LabDroid Maholo humanoid robot systems along with peripheral equipment and software. The company also provides ongoing maintenance and support services for installed systems.
2. Robot Sharing services: RBI offers experimental services using LabDroid Maholo through a robot-sharing model. Researchers submit samples and RBI conducts experiments (proteomics, drug screening, RNA-seq, cell culture) using Maholo. This is a fee-for-service model based on experimental services rendered.
3. Robot facility operation and management: RBI operates and manages robot facilities for life science experiments on behalf of partner institutions, including the Robotic Biology Center (RBC) and the Robot Future Creation Center at Tokyo University of Science.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Robotic Biology Institute develops, manufactures, sells, maintains, and operates LabDroid Maholo, a dual-arm humanoid robot for life science experiments. It also offers fee-for-service experimental work (proteomics, drug screening, RNA-seq, cell culture) through a Robot Sharing model and operates robot facilities for research institutions.

Product overview

Robotic Biology Institute offers a unified portfolio centered on LabDroid Maholo, a versatile humanoid robot for life science automation. The core product is complemented by Robot Sharing services that provide remote access to automated experiments. Four main analytical services (proteomics, drug screening, transcriptomics, and cell culture) are delivered through LabDroid Maholo. The company also provides AI-powered optimization through Epistra Accelerate integration and developed the R-CPF facility for clinical-grade regenerative medicine applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LabDroid Maholo (まほろ): General-purpose humanoid robot for life science experiments, featuring dual-arm 7-axis construction for precision and reproducibility in laboratory operations.

Products and services

• LabDroid Maholo A versatile dual-arm 7-axis humanoid robot that automates life science experiments including proteomics, drug screening, RNA-seq, and cell culture with high precision and reproducibility, using standard laboratory equipment. Targeted at research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and universities.
• Robot Sharing Service A shared-use service model allowing researchers to access LabDroid Maholo capabilities by submitting biological samples and receiving experimental results, without needing to purchase or operate the robot themselves.
• Proteomics Analysis Service (IP-MS) Protein interaction analysis service using immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, where LabDroid Maholo performs cell lysis, magnetic bead-based immunoprecipitation, enzymatic fragmentation, and subsequent high-precision analysis for life science researchers.
• Drug Screening Service Drug efficacy evaluation service where LabDroid Maholo handles cell seeding, drug addition, and measurement, supporting large-scale screening of over 10,000 compounds with high precision and reproducibility.
• Transcriptomics Analysis Service (RNA-seq) mRNA sequencing service using LabDroid Maholo for library preparation, processing samples with NextSeq 500 (Illumina) for transcriptomic analysis for life science researchers.
• Cell Culture Service Automated cell culture service using LabDroid Maholo, supporting mammalian cell culture including human iPS cell maintenance, differentiation induction, and regenerative medicine applications.
• R-CPF (Robotic Cell Processing Facility) A robot-compatible cell culture processing facility achieving clinical-grade cleanliness required for regenerative medicine cell manufacturing, enabling the first-ever use of humanoid robots in actual clinical research. Developed with RIKEN BDR and VC Cell Therapy.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and significant.

• 東京科学大学 (Institute of Science Tokyo)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026RBI relocated its headquarters to Tokyo University of Science (now Institute of Science Tokyo) Yushima Campus in October 2025. In April 2026, the Robot Future Creation Center — a world-class robot experimental facility equipped with multiple Maholo units — opened at this campus, representing RBI's flagship facility partnership with the university.
• TGMC (Tsukuba Genome Information Manufacturing Consortium) — with iLAC and クレコンゲノミクスsignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2024RBI, iLAC, and CreCon Genomics established TGMC (Tsukuba Genome Information Manufacturing Consortium) in May 2024 to provide cutting-edge epigenetics analysis solutions. TGMC aims to contribute to cancer genome medicine by removing barriers to complex genome analysis, combining each company's technology and expertise.
• 京都大学iPS細胞研究所 (CiRA)significantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2023CiRA uses Maholo as part of Astellas Pharma's Mahol-A-Ba platform for iPS cell-based drug discovery. RBI's robot is embedded in the joint research infrastructure between CiRA and Astellas Pharma, with online tours (Mahol-A-Ba) showcasing the facility.
• アステラス製薬 (Astellas Pharma)significantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 April 2023Astellas Pharma developed its Mahol-A-Ba cell drug discovery platform incorporating LabDroid Maholo, deployed at CiRA. Astellas Pharma uses Maholo for iPS cell research and drug discovery under the second-phase joint research agreement with CiRA.
• エピストラ株式会社 (Epistra Inc.)significantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023RBI and Epistra signed an MOU in January 2023 to co-sell a combined cell culture automation and optimization solution. RBI provides Maholo-based experiment automation; Epistra provides its AI-driven experimental protocol optimization software (Epistra Accelerate), based on Bayesian optimization. The combined solution targets regenerative medicine developers.
• 株式会社AdvanSentinelsignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2022RBI and AdvanSentinel jointly launched a wastewater epidemiology survey service targeting influenza viruses in December 2022. AdvanSentinel provides the COPMAN method virus concentration technology; RBI automates RNA quantification using LabDroid Maholo, enabling high-volume stable analysis.
• ビジョンケアグループ (Vision Care Group — VC Cell Therapy, VC Gene Therapy, Vision Care Inc.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2021RBI partnered with Vision Care Group (led by Dr. Masayo Takahashi) in May 2021 to apply LabDroid Maholo and AI for automated, advanced cell manufacturing for retinal disease treatment. This partnership directly contributed to the MHLW-approved clinical study for RPE deficiency in 2022.
• 株式会社iLACcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2021iLAC partnered with RBI in March 2021 as part of a 4-party basic agreement (with Hokkaido University and Shionogi Pharmaceutical) to build automated wastewater epidemiology analysis infrastructure for SARS-CoV-2 monitoring. iLAC provides large-scale NGS genomic analysis capabilities, complementing RBI's automated sample processing with Maholo.
• 塩野義製薬株式会社 (Shionogi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)significantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2021Shionogi partnered with RBI, iLAC, and Hokkaido University in March 2021 to build automated wastewater epidemiology analysis infrastructure for SARS-CoV-2 monitoring. Shionogi developed the high-sensitivity virus detection technology (COPMAN method) and contributes to the broader public health surveillance initiative.
• 筑波大学 (University of Tsukuba)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2020RBI collaborates with University of Tsukuba on multiple research initiatives including space life science research, genomic/transcriptomic analysis services (Tsukuba-based genomics platform with 4,000+ sample analysis experience), and cell culture operations at the Tsukuba Laboratory.
• 理化学研究所 (RIKEN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2017RBI and RIKEN signed a joint research agreement in June 2017 for developing protocol optimization technology using iPS cell culture as a model. RIKEN provides cell culture expertise, image analysis, and machine learning-based diagnostic technology; RBI provides Maholo programming and operational capabilities. Multiple joint publications in eLife and SLAS Technology resulted from this collaboration. Clinical research for retinal disease using Maholo was approved by MHLW based on this partnership.
• 九州大学 (Kyushu University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2017RBI and Kyushu University established the first Robot Sharing facility at Kyushu University Hospital Campus in June 2017. The facility enables researchers to access Maholo for automated experiments. Kyushu University President Kubo presided over the kickoff symposium. NHK covered the partnership as part of robotics-driven work style reform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves3 records

Direct peers

• Hamilton Robotics: US-based supplier of automated liquid handling and laboratory robotics for life science, clinical diagnostics, and biotechnology. Competes head-to-head with Maholo for the same pharma and academic research lab automation budgets.
• Tecan: Swiss leader in laboratory automation offering robotic platforms for drug discovery, genomics, and cell biology workflows. Most direct public competitor to Maholo's life-science automation value proposition, though Tecan's systems are typically task-specific rather than general-purpose humanoid.
• Strateos: US-based cloud lab automation company offering remote-controlled robotic labs for drug discovery. Closely comparable to RBI's Robot Sharing service model in concept, though Strateos operates fully as a managed cloud platform.
• Opentrons Labworks: US-based maker of accessible lab robots (OT-2, Flex) targeted at biology research labs. Competes with Maholo in the academic/research market, though Opentrons focuses on affordability and open-source accessibility rather than humanoid dexterity.

Broad incumbents

• Agilent Technologies: Global life sciences and applied markets company with extensive lab automation, genomics, and cell analysis product lines. Overlaps with RBI's analytical services (RNA-seq, proteomics workflows) at the customer-purchase level.
• PerkinElmer: Life sciences instrumentation and services company with automation, diagnostics, and cell analysis offerings. Competes for the same pharma and research institution lab budgets as RBI but as a multi-product incumbent.
• Beckman Coulter Life Sciences (Danaher): Major life science automation and instrumentation provider with broad portfolio across cell biology, genomics, and drug discovery. Serves the same pharma and academic customers as RBI but as a diversified incumbent rather than a humanoid-robot specialist.

Emerging players

• Arctoris: UK-based automated drug discovery platform combining robotics and AI for remote experimental execution. Closely comparable in vision to RBI's AI-integrated Maholo+Epistra combination, though focused on small-molecule discovery.
• Automata Technologies: UK-based lab automation company providing robotic platforms for life science workflows. Adjacent to Maholo's mission of automating bench science, though targeting broader biology and diagnostics workflows.

Others

• Yaskawa Electric: Japanese industrial robotics giant that co-developed and manufactures the Maholo hardware with AIST and is a strategic investor in RBI. Functions as a supplier and potential global distribution partner rather than a direct competitor in life science.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Robotic Biology Institute