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GrayMatter Raises $45M Series B to Accelerate its Unique AI-Powered Robotics Solutions for Manufacturing’s Hardest Problems and Unique Challenges

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In a $2.5+ trillion industry, GrayMatter continues to set new standards with a 2~4x improvement in production line productivity, 30% or more reduction in consumable waste, and a system availability of over 95%.GrayMatter has a growing customer base across industries including aerospace & defense, specialty vehicles, maritime, metal fabrication, and consumer products such as sports equipment. Led by Wellington Management, with participation from NGP Capital, Euclidean Capital, B Capital, and other existing investors, the new Series B funding brings the total amount raised to date to $70.4M.

LOS ANGELES, June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — GrayMatter Robotics, an AI-powered robotics leader empowering humans with intelligent automation, today announced $45 million in Series B funding. Wellington Management led the round, which also included NGP Capital, Euclidean Capital, Advance Venture Partners, SQN Venture Partners, and other existing investors 3M Ventures, B Capital, Bow Capital, Calibrate Ventures, OCA Ventures, and Swift Ventures.

The $2.5 trillion U.S. manufacturing industry is grappling with a growing backlog of unfilled orders due to a severe labor shortage. Many of these roles are hazardous and demand extensive training, leading to a critical gap of 3.8 million unfilled jobs. With nearly half of these manufacturers’ orders on hold waiting to be fulfilled, GrayMatter’s solutions are crucial in addressing these challenges.

GrayMatter’s smart robotic cells are future-proofing high-mix, high-variability manufacturers’ businesses by increasing productivity, enhancing quality consistency, and reducing costs. They autonomously handle complex tasks such as sanding, polishing, grinding, coating, and finishing—traditionally labor-intensive and ergonomically challenging jobs—allowing businesses to meet global demand while significantly improving the quality of life for shop-floor workers.

“We founded GrayMatter to enhance productivity while prioritizing workforce well-being,” said Ariyan Kabir, co-founder and CEO. “With our physics-based AI-powered systems, we are fulfilling our mission while unlocking new levels of efficiency and productivity. With our investors’ support, we are making a real difference for shop workers and addressing the critical labor shortages in manufacturing today.”

With the new capital, GrayMatter, founded in 2020 by SK Gupta, Ariyan Kabir, and Brual Shah, is actively hiring for a wide range of roles to meet customer demands, expanding its Los Angeles headquarters, and accelerating the development and deployment of its next-generation AI-powered robotic solutions.

“GrayMatter is driving a pivotal transformation in manufacturing with their advanced AI solutions,” said Sean Petersen, sector lead for private climate investing, Wellington Management. “Their ability to enhance productivity, energy efficiency and safety while managing costs, positions them uniquely in the market. We are excited to support their journey towards scaling these innovative technologies across various industries.”

GrayMatter’s technological advancements continue to set new industry standards. Its proprietary GMR-AI™ technology enables robots to self-program and adapt to high-mix manufacturing environments, providing consistent quality and reducing cycle times. Over the past two years, GrayMatter Robotics has deployed robots across North America in aerospace, defense, specialty vehicles, marine, recreation, and general manufacturing industries, processed over 7.5 million square feet of product surface area, and holds ten patents.

“The combination of AI-driven technology and depth of domain expertise in the GrayMatter solution blew us away”, said Debjit Mukerji, Partner at NGP Capital. “It is incredibly challenging to develop high-performance and ultra-reliable robots for such difficult manufacturing conditions. We are thrilled to help the company execute on its impressive commercial trajectory.”

“We are excited to partner with GrayMatter Robotics, as their AI-driven robotic solutions have enabled us to more efficiently address major demand growth in our operations stemming from increased football participation and market share gains, ensuring consistent quality and throughput despite workforce staffing challenges,” said Drew Dixon, Director Of Distribution and Strategy at Riddell. “Collaborating with GrayMatter Robotics underscores Riddell’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence in both its manufacturing operations as well as the protective equipment it delivers to the field.”

GrayMatter Robotics’ solutions work 2-4x faster than manual operation, and training that usually takes six months for humans now only takes less than a day. The robot helps businesses address sustainability goals, resulting in a 30% or more reduction in consumable waste and reduced energy consumption than traditional methods. Manufacturers have nearly uninterrupted operations with a system availability of 95~98%, and most of the contingencies can be resolved in under five minutes. Representative products includes Scan&Sand™, Scan&Polish™, Scan&Buff™, and Scan&Grind™.

“GrayMatter helps us replace some of our more taxing manual labor. We are proud to partner with GrayMatter in an effort to provide longevity in the workforce. We’re constantly working toward a healthier work-life balance, with a focus on working to live rather than living to work,” said Melanie Protti-Lawrence, President of Lawrence Brothers Inc. “Their robots are not just tools but enablers of growth. They allow our workers to engage in more meaningful and less physically taxing tasks, contributing to a healthier and more productive work environment.”

“Going to market with GrayMatter Robotics aligns with our mission to foster innovative solutions that drive efficiency and sustainability in manufacturing,” said Adi Leviatan, President, 3M Abrasives Division. “This technology addresses critical industry challenges and delivers significant value to our customers.”

GrayMatter Robotics’ solutions are used by a diverse range of industries, including aerospace & defense, specialty vehicles, maritime, metal fabrication, and consumer products. By providing turnkey solutions in a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) format, GrayMatter Robotics helps manufacturers improve productivity, enhance production capacity, and reduce costs associated with scrap, repair, and rework.

About GrayMatter Robotics
GrayMatter Robotics is an AI and advanced robotics company delivering autonomous robotic solutions for tedious and ergonomically challenging tasks. It bundles its proprietary AI technologies with off-the-shelf robots, sensors, and tools and provides application-specific turnkey solutions to customers in a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) format. GrayMatter Robotics is helping manufacturers improve the quality of life of shop floor workers, enhance production capacity, and reduce scrap, repair, and rework costs.

About Wellington Management
Wellington Management is one of the world’s largest independent investment management firms, serving as a trusted adviser to over 2,500 clients in more than 60 countries. The firm manages more than US$1.2 trillion for clients, including pensions, endowments and foundations, insurers, and global wealth managers. Wellington offers investment solutions that span global equity, fixed income, currency, commodity, alternatives, and private markets. Wellington’s Private Investing platform has raised more than US$8.5 billion in global assets and invests in venture capital and private credit across multiple sectors (consumer, technology, health care, financial services, biotechnology, energy, industrials, climate technology, and real estate) and geographies (Asia, Europe, and the Americas). The Private Investing Team leverages Wellington’s 1,000+ investment professionals around the world, combining deep private market experience with public market expertise, extensive networks, and robust research to benefit both investors and entrepreneurs. For more on Wellington’s Private Investing platform, please visit wellington.com/privateinvesting.

Media Contact: 
Natalie Bartels
VSC for GrayMatter Robotics
graymatter@vsc.co

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SOURCE GrayMatter Robotics Inc.

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KM Malta Airlines, the Maltese Islands’ New National Carrier, Implements CellPoint Digital’s Payment Orchestration Solution

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The partnership will enable KM Malta Airlines to provide passengers with a seamless payment experience and access to their preferred payment methods.

LONDON, Sept. 23, 2024 /CNW/ — CellPoint Digital, a global pioneer in Payment Orchestration, is proud to announce it has partnered with KM Malta Airlines to support the airline’s payment processes across multiple sales channels, including on its website and App, allowing passengers in future to pay with key alternative payment methods (APMs) like Apple Pay.

From the start of operations on March 31, 2024, CellPoint Digital was entrusted to support KM Malta Airlines’ payment processes across. Using CellPoint Digital’s Payment Orchestration platform, KM Malta Airlines launched the service with optimised payment processes, a cost-effective payment strategy, and a customer-centric payment model. This partnership reflects the airline’s commitment to providing its passengers with a seamless, convenient payment experience and the airline’s recognition of CellPoint Digital as a valued payment solution provider.

Through its partnership with CellPoint Digital, KM Malta Airlines gains access to a network of acquirer connections, including its newly introduced partner, Shift4 (formerly Finaro), to support its growth strategy. This allows the airline to optimise transaction routing, reduce payment costs, and settle in its preferred currency.

“It’s not often that we get to be present at the inception of one of Europe’s next great airlines, but that’s the opportunity we have with this partnership,” said Kristian Gjerding, CEO of CellPoint Digital. “By prioritising its payment strategy as a cornerstone of its launch strategy, KM Malta Airlines demonstrates that it cares about providing passengers with the best possible booking experience and setting itself up for future success.”

Roy Kinnear, CCO of KM Malta Airlines, stated, “A highly optimised, cost-efficient payment strategy is important to the success of our airline. That’s why we partnered with experts in aviation payments to deliver a comprehensive platform tailored to our passengers’ needs and allowing us to expand our offering of customer choice payment mechanisms.”

The Advantage of Day-One Payment Orchestration

Payment Orchestration is a concept that describes the end-to-end management of all components of a payment, from authorisation to routing to settlement to reporting, allowing airlines to boost conversions in direct and indirect sales channels at lower transaction costs. CellPoint Digital’s Payment Orchestration Platform, which KM Malta Airlines will implement, routes transactions intelligently to increase acceptance, simplifies and centralises back-end reconciliation, integrates various payment methods like Apple Pay, and easily accommodates multiple PSPs and acquirers, including KM Malta Airline’s preferred acquiring partner, Shift4.

For more information about the CellPoint Digital partnership with KM Malta Airlines or to speak with company executives, please get in touch with Steven Osei at steven.osei@cellpointdigital.com

About CellPoint Digital
CellPoint Digital is a fintech leader in payment orchestration and optimisation. CellPoint Digital’s main solution is a powerful Payment Orchestration Platform that optimises digital payment transactions from cards or alternative payment methods and accelerates the deployment of new payment options. Merchants can easily scale their own payment ecosystem across the world, unify the customer payment experience across their website, mobile apps and other channels, optimise the routing of each transaction, increase conversion rates and minimise payment costs. CellPoint Digital has offices in Copenhagen, Dallas, Dubai, London, Miami, Pune and Singapore. Visit www.cellpointdigital.com to learn more. 

About KM Malta Airlines

The KM Malta Airlines schedule serves 17 airports across 15 key European cities, namely, Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Catania, Dusseldorf, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Lyon, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Prague, Rome, Vienna and Zurich.

Bookings can be made on kmmaltairlines.com

Contact: media@kmmaltairlines.com

 

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SOURCE CellPoint Digital

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Advantech Unveils Expanded Singapore Office to Boost ASEAN Presence and Support AIoT Innovations with Strategic Partnerships

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SINGAPORE, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Advantech (TWSE: 2395), a global leader in industrial IoT and embedded computing solutions, has officially inaugurated its expanded regional office in Singapore. This strategic investment is set to enhance Advantech’s core competencies within the ASEAN region. Located at 7002 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, the new office will double the company’s current facility space, enhancing its infrastructure to meet the rising demand for high-technology solutions, particularly in the semiconductor sector. The expansion underscores Advantech’s commitment to collaborating with silicon and ecosystem partners and investing in local talent development through industry-academia partnerships. The new office will also support Advantech’s Configure-To-Order Service (CTOS), reinforcing its strategic goal of deepening and localising industry presence while advancing a comprehensive AIoT industry development strategy.

Vincent Chang, Managing Director of Asia and Intercontinental Region at Advantech, stated, “The relocation to our new premises marks a significant milestone in Advantech’s nearly 30 years of growth in Singapore. Established in 1995, Advantech Singapore has grown to become a pivotal hub in the ASEAN region, leading to the creation of Advantech Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam as key regional business units. Advantech envisions Singapore evolving into a Corporate Development Core Competency hub, focusing on business intelligence, strategic planning, and advancing branding, public relations, and ESG programmes across the ASEAN region.”

Advantech is also excited to launch the second year of its AIoT Innowork programme with Singapore Polytechnic (SP). This year’s projects will focus on sustainable development, net-zero emissions, and generative AI. Students will use Advantech’s WISE-PaaS, a cloud-based platform, to develop AIoT solutions, including a smart outdoor agriculture proof-of-concept within SP’s campus. Additionally, the programme will advance intelligent EV charging and parking space monitoring with Advantech’s LoRaWAN gateway and generative AI, featuring a dashboard for carpark occupancy and an assistive chatbot for availability queries.

In response to the government’s focus on future workforce development, a student team from SP is set to create a proof of concept for a “Generative AI-powered Virtual Sales Agent.” This innovative project aims to transform customer interactions by enhancing sales and engagement through cutting-edge AI technology. SP envisions this technology revolutionising customer engagement, enhancing service support, and improving operational efficiency.

Advantech Singapore is dedicated to advancing the “MySkillsFuture” programme, a key initiative by the Singapore government to support lifelong learning. Advantech aims to build a collaborative value chain that fosters a sustainable and thriving IoT ecosystem by partnering with ecosystem players, academic institutions, and industry leaders. Additionally, through academic collaboration, Advantech seeks to cultivate industry growth and align with its social responsibility objectives by producing and distributing urban farming products to underserved communities. These strategic partnerships are poised to drive long-term industry success and reinforce Advantech’s commitment to its ESG goals.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/advantech-unveils-expanded-singapore-office-to-boost-asean-presence-and-support-aiot-innovations-with-strategic-partnerships-302255164.html

SOURCE Advantech Co. Singapore Pte Ltd

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Estonia Strengthens Smart Mobility Networking and Strategic Partnerships in the Gulf

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DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Trade Estonia, part of Enterprise Estonia, is concluding its participation at the ITS World Congress 2024 in Dubai, further asserting its leadership in intelligent transport systems (ITS) and smart mobility. Estonia, known for being the first country to allow testing autonomous vehicles on public roads since 2017, showcased its innovative technologies that are setting new benchmarks in smart mobility and ITS.

At the exhibition, Trade Estonia displayed pioneering solutions, including Bamboo Apps’ cutting-edge dispatch system for autonomous shuttles, enabling remote monitoring of unmanned vehicles to enhance safety and efficiency. e-Pavement integrates sensors within road surfaces to improve safety and traffic management, while Auve Tech’s autonomous shuttles seamlessly integrate with public transport, offering efficient and eco-friendly urban mobility solutions. Metrosert is enhancing the precision of smart infrastructure, and Digilogistika Keskus is optimising logistics through advanced digital platforms, boosting supply chain efficiency in smart cities.

H.E. The Ambassador of Estonia to the UAE Maria Belovas stated, “Estonia’s footprint in integrating cutting-edge technology is pivotal in enhancing transportation safety, efficiency, and mobility. Our innovations are designed to meet the evolving needs of global smart cities and ensure a sustainable future for transportation.”

These advancements exemplify Estonia’s commitment to developing intelligent, sustainable, and efficient transport solutions that address both urban and rural mobility needs, and solidifying its global network.

In addition to presenting its technological progress at the ITS World Congress, Estonia focused on building meaningful connections and exploring new avenues for collaboration.

Forging Strategic Global Partnerships

Estonia is dedicated to expanding its international impact by building strategic partnerships, particularly in the Gulf region.

A recent networking event, hosted by H.E. The Ambassador of Finland, Ms. Tuula Yrjölä, and H.E. The Ambassador of Estonia, Ms. Maria Belovas, brought together Finnish and Estonian business delegations to cultivate global connections in smart mobility. The event also facilitated valuable discussions on future collaborations, reflecting Trade Estonia’s ongoing mission to support global innovation and sustainability in transport.

Ms. Maria Belovas highlighted the importance of these international connections in advancing the organisation’s strategic goals and enriching global collaborative efforts.

Building on this momentum, Trade Estonia is gearing up for its next significant engagement at GITEX Global 2024. This upcoming event will serve as a new stage for Estonia to underline their technological advancements and explore new avenues for collaboration with global technology leaders.

About Trade Estonia

Trade Estonia is part of Enterprise Estonia. As a state organisation, Trade Estonia helps Estonian companies to establish themselves in international markets. With a focus on future technologies and pioneering projects, Trade Estonia provides Estonian companies with access to market analysis and marketing strategies and creates the conditions for them to operate successfully on a global scale. Trade Estonia not only promotes the development of new business areas and the establishment of strategic partnerships, but also facilitates access to international networks, thus contributing to the global competitiveness of Estonian companies.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2512077/Maria_Belovas.jpg

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/estonia-strengthens-smart-mobility-networking-and-strategic-partnerships-in-the-gulf-302255186.html

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