Weekly Refresh: Robots Take Over Boston Tech News

by Tatum Hunter
October 21, 2019
Boston tech news October
photo via shutterstock

RealTime Robotics raised $11.7 million to make robots better coworkers. The introduction of robots in the workplace promised greater productivity and efficiencies, but that's hard when companies have to spend big bucks keeping their employees safe from clumsy machines. RealTime Robotics made two products that help robots adjust to obstacles — human or otherwise — in their environments, and it raised $11.7 million this week to keep growing. [Built In Boston]

Hate flu shots? Soon, you may have an alternative. Cambridge biotechnology company Vaxess and South Korean pharmaceutical company GC Pharma will partner to commercialize an influenza vaccine in patch form that patients slap on their skin for a few minutes. Its extended release technology mimics actual flu exposure, so it should be more effective than a needle (and less pokey). [Press release]

Boston Dynamics reportedly will move to a new Waltham headquarters. The Boston Business Journal cited an industry insider as saying the company behind robots like Atlas and Spot will move it headquarters to Post, an office development by Anchor Line Partners, in Waltham. Boston Dynamics will occupy 180,000 square feet of space in the building, the source said. [Built In Boston]

Women-in-tech nonprofit All Raise is launching a Boston presence. All Raise works to connect women venture capitalists and founders to strengthen networks in the male-dominated VC industry. In its VC Cohorts program, women meet every six to eight weeks to discuss deals and insights. [TechCrunch]

Vespa’s creators made a robot that will carry your stuff. Some robots have eyes, limbs and voices that seem almost human. This one is a box on wheels. I talked with the execs behind the Gita robot about why they had no desire to make a “companion robot” — and how this box on wheels is meant to bring families closer together. [Built In Boston]

Commercial real estate SaaS company Building Engines raised $12.7 million. Building Engines provides a property management platform that helps building owners and managers improve operations. It acquired AwareManager in 2018 and Real Data Management in May and plans to use the new funding to acquire more companies, it said. [Press release]

Clean Energy Solutions closed its first fund at $110 million. The venture firm will use the fund to make seed and early-stage investments in companies in the United States and Canada with missions — and concrete plans — to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. [Press release]

Cloud security company iboss named Dave Dewalt to its board of directors. DeWalt has served as CEO of McAfee and of FireEye. [Press release]

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