Intuition Robotics raises $36 million to bring AI companions to everyone

Israeli robotics startup Intuition Robotics has raised $36 million in a series B round of funding co-led by Sparx Group and OurCrowd, with participation from Samsung Next, Toyota AI Ventures, Bloomberg Beta, iRobot, Sompo Holdings, Union Tech Ventures, Happiness Capital, and Capital Point. Founded in 2015, Intuition Robotics is creating what it calls "social companion" robots and related technologies, with an initial focus on reducing loneliness and isolation in elderly people. The company's first product was a $1,500 robot called ElliQ that opened for preorders last January and has accumulated "over 10,000 days" in homes across the U.S., though the company hasn't revealed specific sales figures. The majority of ElliQ's users are between 80 and 90 years of age. ElliQ more closely resembles a desk lamp than a humanoid, and it sits on a small dock with a tablet screen and cameras.