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Tencent-backed household robot maker Narwal raises US$100 million ahead of pre-IPO round


Chinese household robot brand Narwal Robotics announced on Monday it had secured US$100 million in a new funding round led by Tencent Holdings and the state-backed Beijing Robot Industry Development Investment Fund.

Based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Narwal is known for its robot vacuums and mops. The company plans to use the funding primarily to develop its first “embodied-intelligence product for households”, expected to launch in two years, according to a statement.

The new product will feature a mobile chassis equipped with one or more robotic arms, allowing it to clean areas above the floor. It will also include storage.

Founder and CEO Zhang Junbin said that current robot cleaners were akin to iPods, while the coming product could herald an “iPhone moment” with its implementation of “three-dimensional spatial recognition and autonomous decision-making”.

Narwal is known for its robot vacuums and other cleaning tools. Photo: Handout
Narwal is known for its robot vacuums and other cleaning tools. Photo: Handout

Founded in 2016 in nearby Dongguan, Narwal reported a 130 per cent revenue growth last year. Its overseas markets, spanning over 50 countries including the US, saw nearly 700 per cent revenue growth, the company said. It did not disclose sales figures.



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