Tyson, other firms fund Soft Robotics

Soft Robotics has locked down $26 million in additional capital with a funding round led by Tyson Ventures.

In a recent release, Massachusetts-based Soft Robotics, which develops robots for use in bulk food production, said the Series C round was led by Tyson Ventures and included Marel and Johnsonville.

“At Tyson, we are continually exploring new areas in automation that can enhance safety and increase the productivity of our team members,” Rahul Ray, senior director of Tyson Ventures, said in a statement. “Soft Robotics’ revolutionary robotic technology, computer vision and AI platform have the potential to transform the food industry and will play a key role in any company’s automation journey.”

During recent conference calls with investors, Tyson Foods leadership said the company is investing in automation to eliminate high-turnover jobs and make processing faster.