Chinese tech media outlet 36kr reported today that Sparkoz (汤恩科技), a commercial cleaning robot company, had raised tens of millions of yuan in Series A financing round, led by Vision Knight Capital and Go High Fund.
Earlier in 2022, Sparkoz also bagged tens of millions of yuan in angel and pre-Series A rounds led by Country Garden Ventures, followed by WaveFront Ventures.
In the global context of labor shortages and high labor costs, commercial cleaning robots have gradually met “rigid demand” in the field of service robotics.
Applications are becoming increasingly extensive, including in dozens of scenarios such as shopping malls, office buildings, hospitals, schools, factories, and supermarkets.
According to zycybgw.com, an industry research organization, it is estimated that the market size of China’s commercial cleaning robot market will grow to around 74.9 billion yuan (US$10.87 billion) by 2025.
This blue-ocean market has attracted dozens of companies to enter the commercial cleaning robot space in the past two years.
Sparkoz has launched two products, its flagship model TN70 and a compact TN35/10, which can perform more than 90% of cleaning tasks on all types of floors when used together.
TN70 carries a 70-liter water tank, able to clean up to 2,040 sqm per hour and work non-stop for four to five hours. If equipped with an automated workstation, it can change water and recharge on its own, working 24/7 throughout the year.
Sparkoz is a global pioneer that combines vision and laser technologies on its robotic chassis. It independently developed more than 40 sensors across nine categories, enabling the robot to achieve multi-perceptive capabilities.
They range from vision and touch to depth and distance perception, ensuring the stability and safety of the robot during operation.
Sparkoz has also lowered manufacturing costs by building its own production base and independently developing core components.
To date, the startup has established a foothold in Asian, European, and North American markets.
To spur market penetration, Sparkoz adopts a robot-as-a-service model whereby it leases its products in the European and North American markets.
For instance, it deployed them to 99Ranch Market, a large supermarket chain in the US.
“For frontline store managers and factory owners, they can recover their costs in basically one quarter, rather than one or two years under the rate of return of traditional robots,” Cui Yuwei told 36Kr.
Sparkoz faces competition in commercial cleaning robotics at home from rivals such as Gaussian Robotics (高仙机器人) and Ecovacs (科沃斯, 603486.SH).
