Croix, France – 17 January 2022 – Exotec®, a provider of robotic solutions for warehouses, today announced that it has raised $335 million in a Series D financing round led by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, alongside Bpifrance, via its Large Venture fund, and 83North. Now valued at $2 billion, Exotec becomes France’s first industrial unicorn. Thanks to this round of funding, Exotec aims to accelerate its international expansion and become the world leader in logistics robotics. To support this ambition, Exotec plans to recruit 500 additional RD engineers between now and 2025.
The pandemic has highlighted the fragility of globalised supply chains, and the need for companies and governments to rethink value chains to make them more resilient to shocks. The relocation of industrial production and the reindustrialisation of economies have thus become priorities.
Exotec illustrates France’s ability to create flagship industrial and cutting-edge technology companies that demonstrate its engineering expertise and help to re-industrialise the economy.
Exotec’s Skypod® autonomous mobile robots are manufactured entirely in Croix in the Hauts-de-France region of France. The company’s DNA, RD draws on the excellence of French training and develops technological innovations to meet the challenges of the warehouse of the future.
‘Building supply chains that are adapted, efficient and agile is a priority for our customers, who are now having to rethink their logistics systems,’ says Romain Moulin, CEO and co-founder of Exotec. ‘Our solutions are designed to meet these key challenges, and in particular to alleviate the labour shortage in warehouses. Exotec promotes a collaborative approach between humans and robots, which boosts warehouse productivity tenfold while improving working conditions.
Exotec’s robotic solutions are now deployed worldwide by leading international players such as Uniqlo, Decathlon, Carrefour, Cdiscount, Gap and Geodis. Exotec technology equips the latest Monoprix zero-carbon warehouse in the Paris region.
Christian Resch, Managing Director of Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Asset Management said: ‘Exotec is well positioned to seize the huge opportunity in the warehouse automation market, both because of its global presence and its strong track record of success with leading retailers and brands in the sector. Exotec develops scalable solutions that accelerate change and support business growth
in the face of market disruption.
Paul-François Fournier, Executive Director of Bpifrance Innovation, added: ‘In a world where the need for warehouse automation has multiplied, Exotec has demonstrated its ability to become an industrial champion in logistics robotics. The ambition and vision of its founders, the experience of its management team, its innovative and proprietary technology and its high level of customer satisfaction have all contributed to its exceptional growth and accelerated international expansion.
international expansion. This new round of financing provides the company with the resources it needs to realise its ambitions and rapidly become a world leader in robotics.
Jérôme Saillour, Logistics Transformation Manager at Décathlon, says: ‘I’ve been lucky enough to follow Exotec’s growth closely over the last 4 years, and to see the product and the team evolve while retaining the company’s original mindset and core values. This relationship of trust has given rise to a partnership between our companies and a programme of very ambitious achievements. Decathlon is proud to contribute to the development of France’s industrial know-how.
Decathlon is proud to be contributing to the development of French industrial know-how, and intends eventually to roll out Exotec’s solution on other continents.