Samsung Acquires Major Stake in Rainbow Robotics to Accelerate Humanoid Development
Samsung Electronics invests $181 million to increase its ownership of Rainbow Robotics to 35%, making the South Korean maker a subsidiary. The deal establishes a new robotics office and pushes Samsung into the competitive humanoid robot market.
Samsung Electronics becomes the largest shareholder of Rainbow Robotics by increasing its stake from 14.7% to 35% for approximately $181 million. The South Korean electronics giant integrates the robotics maker as a subsidiary to bolster its internal robotics department and speed up the development of humanoid robots. This transaction follows an initial investment of about $59 million that Samsung makes in 2023, showing a strong commitment to the robotics sector.
As part of this strategic move, Samsung establishes a Future Robotics Office that reports directly to the CEO, led by Rainbow Robotics founding member Dr. Jun-ho Oh. The acquisition allows Rainbow Robotics, which currently employs 86 people and develops dual-arm mobile manipulators for manufacturing and logistics, to expand into overseas markets by leveraging Samsung's vast global reach. The deal is expected to reach completion in February 2025.
This investment places Samsung alongside other major tech companies racing to develop advanced humanoid robots. Competitors like Tesla, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Nvidia are all actively working on their own robotic hardware and software platforms. Samsung previously identifies robotics as a key future initiative alongside AI, 5G, and automotive electronics, suggesting that this acquisition is just one step in a broader long-term strategy.