Ukrainian startup Deus Robots is working on creating sorting robots that could be useful for companies with large warehouse spaces. The startup has already offered to test its robots at “Nova Poshta” and has raised $5 million in investment from BGV Trident Capital. Forbes tells its story.
The startup was founded by programmer Pavel Pikulin in 2018, who invested $1 million of his own money and $500,000 in angel investments. At the time, he also worked for the gaming company WhaleApp, which developed mobile games such as Hidden Hotel, Family Zoo, Resort Hotel, and Rise of Heroes.
The startup team is working on three types of robots: one for sorting goods weighing up to 30 kg, one for transporting shelves up to 300 kg, and a cargo robot for transporting pallets. The latter is capable of lifting loads up to 1 ton, making it the most expensive to produce.
Currently, the startup is assembling robots in Ukraine and sourcing parts from China, Europe, and the United States. The team does not plan to launch its own production in China, instead, they want to rent a factory in Kyiv where they already have an R&D center.
In 2021, Deus Robots assembled 40 robots, and the plan for the next year is to produce 1000 machines and achieve profitability. In Ukraine, the startup is already working with “Nova Poshta,” but according to the founder, the company is currently in negotiations with another 13 local companies. Abroad, the startup aims to work with businesses that have warehouses (retail, postal operators, pharmaceutical and automotive companies).
The team raised $5 million in investment from BGV Trident Capital, founded by Russian with Ukrainian citizenship Ilya Ponomarev and Ukrainian entrepreneur Gennady Butkevich.
What will these investments be used for? Initially, Pikulin thought about building his own $20 million factory, but now he plans to rent a cheaper facility in Kyiv and purchase equipment there. The plan is to expand the team from 25 to 80 people, enter international markets such as Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, and the United States, and scale production to 400 robots per month