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As HR teams consider how they can retain their organizations existing talent while also attracting future generations of tech-savvy workers, offering automation training to workers stands as the answer, according to Tom Clancy, senior vice president of learning, UiPath.

With a new year on the horizon, many HR teams are strategizing how to support their organizations workforces throughout 2022 and beyond and stave off the Great Resignation. To retain their talent in the coming months, companies will need to offer more than trendy benefits, though. They will need new tactics for positioning employees for long-term success at the organization, which starts with making their jobs more rewarding today.

The solution? Automation.

Automation technologies like robotics process automation (RPA) can efficiently and accurately execute various repetitive and manual tasks within employees jobs so that individuals are free to focus on the more satisfying aspects of their work, such as thinking creatively and collaborating with colleagues on the next big idea. Likewise, when they are not bogged down with endless tasks, they will feel more agency over their workloads, contributing to increased career satisfaction and fostering a sense of loyalty to the business.

However, to unlock automations full potential, it is essential employers also invest in accompanying training opportunities to teach workers how to make the most of the technology. In fact, UiPaths 2021 Global Office Worker Survey found that 91% of those who trained in automation in the past year believed it improved their job performance. In addition to boosting business productivity, offering these trainings will empower employees to:

As future-forward as automation may sound to some, the technology is already commonplace in business today. Software robots are being deployed to perform a wide range of essential tasks, from invoice processing to hiring and onboarding to customer service assistance. Many enterprises have already put such technologies to use, with Gartner predicting that 90% of large organizations globally will have adopted some form of RPA by 2022. This pace of adoption means it is necessary for the modern workers who will be wielding these technologies to possess a digital skillset, not only to excel but also to keep pace.

There are a variety of accessible educational resources for HR teams to kickstart training opportunities as soon as possible. The UiPath Academy, for example, offers free training courses on the basics of RPA as well as job-specific courses for business users to begin their automation journeys. Online-based programs like this offer employees the flexibility to learn on their own time and in an environment where they feel comfortable.

In addition to showing employees how to apply automation that they have learned, these trainings should also teach workers how to identify new processes to automate, which they can either flag to the team overseeing their organizations automation rollout and governance or automate themselves. This way, employees play a far more active role in the initiative again fostering a sense of agency and can help scale the program to address the most pressing areas of business.

Once organizations automation initiatives are established, they can also assess future applicants by whether they have already completed automation training so that introducing them to an automated work environment is easier.

See More: The Future is Here: The Evolution and Implications of AI in the Workplace

Todays standout companies, in the eyes of workers, are those that treat their staff as a long-term investment. That means, not only do these organizations set employees up to succeed at the jobs they hired them for, but they foster employees professional growth as those roles naturally evolve. Workers are aware of this potential, too; UiPaths survey also found that 63% of respondents believe skills related to automation are critical to their future career success. Offering the upskilling opportunities todays workers want will also make organizations more attractive as employers, which can help them retain current talent and encourage prospects to join their teams, as individuals will see the business as one committed to its employees development.

Offering on-the-job automation training demonstrates that employers are committed to supporting their employees within increasingly IT-intensive work environments. Additionally, offering employees an understanding of automation itself can propel them into new career opportunities. That is because, as organizations grow their automation programs to tackle new goals over time, they will need professionals within the business dedicated to facilitating this growth. LinkedIn even named artificial intelligence practitioners one of the most in-demand jobs on its 2021 jobs report, underscoring the prevalence of automation-related roles across todays organizations. By sponsoring training, employers give existing employees the chance to rise within the company as the organization solidifies these types of roles, rather than hiring externally, which can be both costly and uncertain.

As HR teams look for new ways to support their teams and battle widespread resignations, automation is a practical answer. There are many HR organizations implementing RPA today to streamline processes such as recruiting, onboarding, and performance reviews. And more than boosting operational efficiencies, offering automation training will answer employees calls for upskilling opportunities and give them a framework to grow within their organization. This will save HR teams from having to manage cycles of off- and onboarding during a particularly competitive time in the job market. With educational resources more accessible than ever, HR teams can start preparing their colleagues for the future of work today.

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Why Automation Training Is Essential for Todays HR Processes and Workforce Preparation - Toolbox

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As partial automation systems like adaptive cruise control (ACC) and automated lane changing become more and more common in vehicles, a new set of safety ratings will give drivers a better understanding of the effectiveness of these technologies.

Earlier this month, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced that it will develop a new system that will rate a vehicles partial automation systems as good, acceptable, marginal or poor.

In order to earn a good rating, the technologies will need to ensure that drivers are looking at the road at all times, and that they are either holding the wheel or are ready to grab it. Additionally, the technologies must include alert systems and emergency procedures that are prompted when the driver is not adhering to the aforementioned conditions.

Partial automation systems may make long drives seem like less of a burden, but there is no evidence that they make driving safer, said IIHS President David Harkey. In fact, the opposite may be the case if systems lack adequate safeguards.

Other requirements for to earn a good rating include:

The IIHS intends to release the first round of partial automation ratings sometime in 2022, though the organization noted that the exact release date remains uncertain due to the ongoing supply chain shortage making it more difficult to obtain cars to test.

Nobody knows when well have true self-driving cars, if ever. As automakers add partial automation to more and more vehicles, its imperative that they include effective safeguards that help drivers keep their heads in the game, Harkey said.

OVER-RELIANCE ON PARTIAL AUTOMATION

Safety experts said they hope the new rating system will discourage motorists from leaning too heavily on their cars partial automation systems, with many drivers having become over-reliant on the technologies, leading them to engage in dangerous driving behaviors.

The way many of these systems operate gives people the impression that theyre capable of doing more than they really are, said IIHS Research Scientist Alexandra Mueller, who is leading the new ratings program.

But even when drivers understand the limitations of partial automation, their minds can still wander. As humans, its harder for us to remain vigilant when were watching and waiting for a problem to occur than it is when were doing all the driving ourselves, Mueller added.

In 2019, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released research showing that drivers with experience with partial automation systems were nearly twice as likely to engage in distracted driving than drivers who were less familiar with the systems.

This new research suggests that as drivers gain more experience using advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) technology, they could develop complacency while behind the wheel, said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Over-reliance on these systems can put drivers and others in dangerous conditions during critical moments.

The AAA Foundation partnered with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute to observe and analyze the driving behavior of two groups of drivers using ADAS technology. The first group consisted of drivers who used their own vehicles and were already familiar with the advanced systems. The second group of drivers were previously unfamiliar with the use of ADAS technology, but were given a vehicle with the advanced systems to use during the four-week study.

Research showed that those familiar with the advanced systems were 80% more likely to engage in distracted driving, such as texting or switching songs, while the systems were active than those who were less familiar with them.

According to Virginia Tech researchers, drivers reliance on ADAS increases as the individual becomes more comfortable with the technology. At first, drivers are less inclined to trust the new systems, causing them to remain attentive while driving. However, as familiarity increases, drivers often become over-reliant on the technology, making them more likely to participate in distracted driving.

Advanced driver assistance technologies have a lot to offer in terms of comfort and safety, but they should never replace an attentive and engaged driver, said Dr. William Van Tassel, AAA manager of driver training programs.

Continue reading here:

New car safety ratings will assess effectiveness of partial automation systems - SILive.com

In IBMs first quarterly earnings report since the spin-out of its managed infrastructure business, the company highlighted Red Hat, investments in automation and its growing ecosystem of partners as factors that helped grow revenue 6.5 percent year over year for the quarter that ended Dec. 31.

IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told analysts on the quarterly earnings call Monday not to expect any more divestitures in the near future the size of the Kyndryl spin-out for which IBM is still on the hook for $500 million in costs.

We have the correct portfolio to be able to grow where our clients have got demand and where the market has demand, Krishna said. We are now approximately a 30 percent consulting company, a 70 percent technology company. Its about a little bit under half in software.

[RELATED: IBM Expands Environmental Sustainability Software Portfolio With Envizi Acquisition]

Although IBM didnt break out exact figures, company executives said that subsidiary Red Hat known for its containerization software platform OpenShift and its automation platform Ansible grew 19 percent year over year.

IBM now has more than 3,800 hybrid cloud platform clients, up 1,000 clients year over year, according to the company. IBM Consulting helped land about 700 Red Hat engagements during the year, according to the company.

Red Hat signings more than doubled this year, now more than $4 billion since inception, according to the company. The 150 client inceptions during the quarter bring the total since inception to more than 1,000.

Automation including AIOps, application servers, integration and business automation grew 13 percent.

And the company saw 50 percent revenue growth during 2021 in partnerships with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Salesforce. For every $1 of hybrid platform revenue, ecosystem partners generate $3 to $5 of software, $6 to $8 of services and $1 to $2 of infrastructure revenues, according to the company.

Weve been taking actions that position our business to address the attractive hybrid cloud and AI opportunity, Krishna said. Our fourth quarter results and expectations for 2022 are a first glimpse of todays IBM and to reinforce our confidence in our strategy and our model.

Krishna did hint at more acquisitions to come for IBM, describing $20 billion of flexibility available to the company over the next three years.

The company spent about $3 billion on 15 acquisitions in 2021 and announced its first acquisition of the year earlier this month with Envizi, a developer of data management and analytics software for evaluating environmental performance.

IBM Chief Financial Officer Jim Kavanaugh said that IBMs investments make it a different company following the spin off.

Weve aligned our business to a more platform centric business model, Kavanaugh said on the call. And were simplifying and redesigning our go-to-market to better meet client needs and execute on our growth agenda. Bottom line, were exiting 2021 a different company. We have a higher growth, higher value business mix, with over 70 percent of our revenue in software and services, and a significant recurring revenue base dominated by software.

Watson Health Sale

IBM executives didnt have much to add about the announced pending sale of IBM Watson Health health care data and analytics assets to Francisco Partners.

The assets include Health Insights, MarketScan, Clinical Development, Social Program Management, Micromedex and imaging software, according to a statement.

Financial terms were not disclosed. The transaction should close next quarter. At that point in time, we will disclose information around Watson Health and what the implications are to our guidance overall and well update investors as we always do, Kavanaugh said on the earnings call.

Invest In Cybersecurity

Although Red Hat and automation saw growth during the quarter, IBM executives promised better performance from security in the future, which saw a decrease of 2 percent in revenue year over year.

Kavanaugh highlighted a new data security offering, Guardium Insights, and the recently acquired endpoint threat services company ReaQta.

The companys investments in a platform model should not only help with cybersecurity offerings, but its should expand success throughout IBMs cloud products suite and its partner ecosystem, Krishna said.

Customers are looking for a partner they can trust and who has a proven track record in bringing about strategic transformation projects, Krishna said. This is why our strategy is focused on helping our clients leverage the power of hybrid cloud and AI. Hybrid cloud is about providing a platform that can straddle multiple public clouds, private clouds and as-a-service properties that our clients typically have. Our approach is platform centric, and the platform we have built is open, secure and flexible. And it provides a solid base for the multiplier effect across software and services for IBM and our ecosystem partners.

Quarterly Performance, 2022 Expectations

IBM reported $16.7 billion in revenue for the quarter, up 6.5 percent year over year.

Software revenue was $7.3 billion for the quarter, up 8 percent year over year. Software saw more than $13 billion in annual recurring revenue, an 8 percent increase year over year. This segment includes Red Hat, automation and security.

Transaction processing grew 11 percent year over year and the software segment hybrid cloud revenue grew 22 percent. Kavanaugh said that all of the transaction processing growth came from IBMs commercial relationship with spin off Kyndryl.

IBMs consulting revenue for the quarter was $4.7 billion, up 13.1 percent. The consulting segment hybrid cloud revenue grew 31 percent. Business transformation consulting grew 18 percent. Technology consulting grew 14 percent. Application operations grew 6 percent.

Infrastructure brought in $4.4 billion in revenue for the quarter, flat year over year. Offsetting the 5 percent growth in distributed infrastructure was a 12 percent decrease in infrastructure segment hybrid cloud revenue, a 6 percent decrease in IBM Z and a 1 percent decrease in infrastructure support.

Hybrid cloud revenue grew $6.2 billion in the fourth quarter, up 16 percent year over year.

In 2022, the company expects to grow revenue around 5 percent before adding in contributions from Kyndryl. Kyndryl will contribute an additional three points of growth across the first three quarters of the year. IBM expects free cash flow of $10 billion to $10.5 billion in 2022, according to the company.

Read this article:

IBM 'A Different Company' Post-Kyndryl, With Bets On Red Hat, Automation, Consulting - CRN

Basler AG, a leading supplier of computer vision products, has joined the 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA). The company is the first from the machine vision sector to support the initiative.

The Alliance aims to bring together various industries from the Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) sectors to develop standards for 5G. This is intended to promote further technological development and simplify cooperation between different IT/OT providers across industries and national borders.

Ren von Fintel, Director Products Business at Basler, explains, "We are pleased to be part of the 5G-ACIA Industrial Alliance. We are convinced that 5G will be an important building block in the further development of Industrie 4.0 communication and IoT or IIoT connectivity. 5G will become an important wireless communication technology and standard in industry, opening doors for new use cases such as vision for mobile robots or for preventive maintenance. As an image processing specialist, we would like to help ensure that the ever-growing field of computer vision is an active participant."

More:

Basler Joins 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation - Novus Light Today - Novus Light Technologies Today

Food Automation Market by Component (Plant Level Controls, Enterprise Level Controls), Mode of Automation (Semi-automatic, Fully-automatic), Application (Packaging and Repacking, Butchery), and End-Use (Beverages and Distilleries) - Global Forecast to 2027

Redding, California, Jan. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new market research report titled Food Automation Market by Component (Plant Level Controls, Enterprise Level Controls), Mode of Automation (Semi-automatic, Fully-automatic), Application (Packaging and Repacking, Butchery), and End-Use (Beverages and Distilleries) - Global Forecast to 2027, published by Meticulous Research, the food automation market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.5% from 2020 to 2027 to reach $29.4 billion by 2027.

Download Free Sample Report Now @ https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=4956

Food automation refers to automating food & beverage production facilities by integrating advanced technologies such as robotics, the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), analytics, mobility, data processing, and 3D printing to increase productivity and efficiency of processes. Adopting advanced and intelligent technology solutions ensures improved shelf life, food safety, consistent quality, and optimum use of machines and software to help manufacturers grow.

The food automation market is developing rapidly due to the adoption of automated solutions and management solutions by food & beverage processing facilities globally. The wide implementation of plant- and enterprise-level control solutions is attributed to the high efficiency and the cost reduction benefits offered by these solutions. End users, including the beverage, dairy, and food processing companies, are increasingly investing in food automation technologies to leverage the benefits of robotics and interconnected solutions that help achieve higher productivity over conventional labor-intensive processes. Additionally, the consumers changing demands and the requirement for consistent food quality according to industrial standards have created the need for automated solutions to maintain high quality and productivity. These factors, coupled with the end users capability to spend on robotics and enterprise management solutions, propel the growth of the food automation market.

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However, the high initial investment required for automating food & beverage manufacturing facilities is expected to hinder the growth of this market to a certain extent. Apart from this, the global impact of COVID-19 is expected to pose challenges for the growth of this market over the coming years.

Increasing Food Safety Regulations to Drive the Growth of the Food Automation Market

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 600 million people worldwide fall ill after eating contaminated food, and 4,20,000 die every year, resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life years. Thus, increasing concerns regarding food safety and hygiene have fueled the usage of automation in the food & beverage industry to ensure hygiene levels. Food products with different nutritional values and flavors are distributed globally depending upon the environmental conditions. These food products require hygienic storage and processing to increase shelf life so they can be consumed in other places and seasons across the year. Also, food products require proper handling and packaging as they are perishable.

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Moreover, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 70% of all foodborne diseases are due to viruses spread by direct or indirect contact with infected individuals. Food safety, nutrition, and food security are thereby linked to each other. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, affecting infants, young children, the elderly, and the sick. Thus, due to growing concerns regarding individual health and wellbeing, which can be affected due to consumed food and the environment, high attention is given to the production, processing, packaging, storage, distribution, and consumption of food products. Technology helps the food & beverage industry overcome one of its largest concernsfood safety, by providing well-maintained traceability records, which help monitor the movement of food products across the supply chain.

Regulatory authorities such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) have imposed strict regulations on food safety and packaging. The FDAs food safety authority has enhanced the mandates of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) to protect both consumer and public health. These regulatory bodies continually aim at improving food safety processes in manufacturing and distribution and enhancing the overall traceability of products in the supply chain. The adoption of automation allows companies to invest in technologies such as robots, the IoT, and AI to ensure regulatory compliance and improve track-and-trace functionality. Automation tools and solutions allow for intelligent manufacturing capabilities to support compliance requirements. Moreover, regulatory guidelines such as the Food Safety Modernization Act require detailed plans and documentation of potential threats, remediation efforts, monitoring, and reporting. Solutions such as data management and ERP automate the measuring, capturing, documentation, auditing, and reporting of data, helping companies to remain in full compliance with various requirements. They also offer better communication to allow for monitoring, recording, and responding to information that is critical to food safety. Also, human intervention can sometimes contaminate food products. The use of robots in processing and packaging ensures the safety standards of food & beverage products. Thus, increasing food safety regulations are expected to drive the growth of the food automation market.

To provide efficient analysis, Meticulous Research has segmented overall food automation market based on component (plant level controls {supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), distributed control systems (DCS), programmable logic controllers (PLC), other plant-level controls}, enterprise level controls {product lifecycle management (PLM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), manufacturing execution systems (MES)}, and plant instrumentation {motors & drives, robots, sensors, machine vision systems, relays & switches, and other plant instrumentation components}), mode of automation (semi-automatic, fully-automatic), application (palletizing & depalletizing, picking & placing, grading & sorting, butchery, and other applications), end-use (dairy processing, beverages and distilleries, bakery & confectionery, oils & fats, meat, poultry, and seafood products, fruits & vegetables, and other end uses), and geography (Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa).

Quick Buy Market Research Report: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/Checkout/26355653

Based on component, the food automation market is mainly segmented into plant instrumentation, plant-level controls, and enterprise-level controls. The enterprise-level segment commanded the largest share of the overall food automation market in 2021. The high implementation of enterprise-level control solutions is attributed to the management- and productivity-related benefits associated with ERP and PLM. Companies in the food automation market are developing F&B specific solutions by integrating ERP, SCADA, and robotics, further driving the demand for automated solutions. However, the plant-level control segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This can be attributed to rising utilization of control, data analysis and process management software solutions such as SCADA, PLC, and DCS. The F&B sector deploys hybrid automation solutions which is a combination of the discrete and process automation technology and offers benefits for the overall processing & packaging activities. SCADA is witnessing high demand as it monitors the entire process system and provides instructions to other individual PLCs & DCSs.

Based on the mode of operation, the food automation market is segmented into semi-automatic and fully-automatic modes. The fully-automatic segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the increasing adoption of fully-automated solutions for processing activities, such as picking & placing, palletizing & depalletizing, packaging & repackaging, and grading & sorting. Several F&B sector participants have automated their processing & packaging units with the availability of industrial robots and robotic systems instead of human labor. The trend of replacing human labor with automatic systems is expected to drive the fully-automatic operational mode.

Based on application, the palletizing & depalletizing segment dominated the overall food automation market in 2021, owing to the high usage of robotics and sensor-based solutions that increase efficiency and reduce frequent faults. The industry players have developed application-specific robots and sensor-based systems that offer enhanced quality, better working conditions, and improved production throughput. However, the packaging & repacking segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The highest growth of this segment is attributed to factors such as the increasing demand for advanced packaging solutions across the beverage, bakery & confectionery, meat, fish, animal, and dairy industries.

Based on end user, the food automation market is segmented into dairy processing, beverages and distilleries, bakery & confectionery, oils & fats, meat, poultry, and seafood products, fruits & vegetables, and other end uses. The beverages & distilleries segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The highest growth of this segment is attributed to factors such as the demand for alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages such as fruit juices and isotonic and health drinks is increasing, and the growing need to cater to consumer demand, maintain quality, consistency, hygiene, and optimize production of the beverages.

To gain more insights into the market with a detailed table of content and figures, click here: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/food-automation-market-4956

Geographically, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The highest growth of this market is mainly due to the Asian countries, including China and Japan, have major robotics, sensors, and automation hardware components that further dominate the automation industry. Additionally, India, China, and Australia have a robust F&B manufacturing sector and export to other European and American countries, creating automation solutions. Moreover, stringent government regulations and standards related to food safety & quality to prevent consumer illness are major factors supporting the adoption of food automation solutions.

China is one of the largest food producers and the largest food consumers in the Asia-Pacific region. In recent years, several developments significantly impacted the food consumption pattern in the country. These developments include a growing focus on the quality and safety of food, rural migration & urbanization, and changing taste of younger consumers. In recent years, food consumption has experienced rapid changes, driven mainly by increased consumer income. In addition, food safety is playing a vital role in building demand for high-quality food ingredients and manufactured foods. With the rapid rise in population across the country, China has emerged as one of the worlds largest agri-food markets. In 2021, China splashed out huge subsidies on the robotics industry, seeing it as a key element in its push to upgrade the nations manufacturing industry, including food. China is also the largest food and beverage market globally, relying highly on imported goods. To produce more in the country, Chinas 35,000 food processing and manufacturing plants are finding success using automation in innovative ways. For example, using automation-controlled LED lighting and an innovative growth liquid, Jinpeng Plant Factory outside of Beijing grows up to 15 million seedlings a year in a 14,000-square foot area. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), China is the fastest-growing robot market globally. Most of the robots manufactured in China are shipped to Japan, Europe, and North America. Around 65% of robots are imported to North America. Although China is an important robots market globally, it has huge potential for automation in its manufacturing industry. Compared to Japan, South Korea, and Germany, with robot density in the manufacturing industry that varies between 270 and 400 robots per 10,000 employees, China's robot density is very low, with ~20 robots. This indicates the potential for domestic penetration, which is expected to increase the production of robots. China is the largest market for installations of industrial robots. The country has been focusing on boosting its production capability. A plan has been set to develop the Made in China products, boost technology innovation, and upgrade the equipment manufacturing industry. The Chinese government participates and actively promotes advanced technologies, including automated machines, to maintain better hygiene.

The top five players that dominated the global food automation market were ABB Group, Rockwell Automation, Siemens AG, Fanuc Corporation, and GEA Group. The other key players operating in the food automation market include Rockwell Automation (U.S.), Yaskawa Electric Corporation (Japan), Schneider Electric (France), Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Japan), KUKA AG (Germany), Emerson Electric (U.S.), Fanuc (Japan), Honeywell International (U.S.), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Japan), JLS Automation (U.S.), Falcon Autotech Pvt. Ltd (India), and Food Automation Pty. Ltd (Australia).

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Amidst this crisis, Meticulous Research is continuously assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various sub-markets and enables global organizations to strategize for the post-COVID-19 world and sustain their growth. Let us know if you would like to assess the impact of COVID-19 on any industry here- https://www.meticulousresearch.com/custom-research

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Food Automation Market Worth $29.4 Billion by 2027 - Market Size, Share, Forecasts, & Trends Analysis Report with COVID-19 Impact by Meticulous...

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electric Sheep Robotics, the leader in autonomous lawn mowing, today announced the formal general availability of its Dexter robot. Dexter takes existing commercial lawn mowers, both gas and electric, and turns them into autonomous vehicles. Dexter is designed to address critical labor shortages in the landscaping, facilities, and property management industries.

Nationally, a record 4.5 million U.S. workers quit their jobs in November. There are more job openings than there are workers. The labor market in landscaping is particularly dire. Tens of thousands of full-time positions are going unfilled, according to the National Association of Landscape Professionals, who also call 2021 the worst labor market in recent history.

The company also today announced Series A financing in the amount of $21.5 million, led by Tiger Global. To date, the company has raised $25.7 million and is currently the best-capitalized autonomous mowing start-up with the largest number of commercial customer deployments.

Automation of the $115 billion outdoor maintenance market is an enormous opportunity hiding in plain sight. Electric Sheep is leading the way with fully autonomous solutions. We are excited to invest and help them grow their leadership position.

Mr. Griffin Schroeder, Partner, Tiger Global

Other investors include Foundation Capital, who led the $4 million Seed round, grep -vc, Signia Venture Partners, as well as individual pre-Seed investors Ariel Cohen (TripActions), Travis Deyle (Cobalt Robotics), Sahil Lavingia (Gumroad), and Reinforced Ventures.

I dont think people realize that lawns are Americas largest crop. More land and water are dedicated to lawns than to wheat and corn combined, and more than 40 million acres of land in the U.S. has some form of lawn. $20 billion is allocated annually to lawn mowing alone. Solutions such as Electric Sheeps Dexter robot are helping our customers meet demand and better allocate their already scarce labor pool.

Mr. Naganand Murty, CEO of Electric Sheep

Electric Sheep will use the funds to fuel expansion across all departments in order to meet growing customer demand. The company currently has contracts with thirty customers across the U.S. and interest is high.

The technology Electric Sheep has brought to market is an absolute game-changer. It wont take long for our industry to catch on. The landscape industry, like many others, is experiencing extreme labor shortages, and for us, COVID-19 has only exacerbated a pre-existing problem. The automation of our mowing work allows our teams to redirect their focus onto more specialized work at our clients properties - the stuff they actually get excited about. Were also big believers that this opens the door for young people to get excited about horticulture. This technology provides unique opportunities for the next generation to be engaged in an industry they might not normally consider.

Mr. Matt Menoni, Apex LandscapingHawthorn Woods, IL

If the past few years have taught us nothing else, its made us more comfortable with change. Forward-thinking companies in the landscaping industry are turning to automation to help address the most challenging labor environment Ive ever seen. By autonomously mowing lawns one of the least-skilled tasks my team undertakes -- Electric Sheep is helping us to automate our way out of an extreme labor shortage.

Mr. Michael Mayberry, Level Green LandscapingWashington, DC

Dexter: The Electric Sheep Robot

Dexter easily attaches to new or existing lawn mowers and requires minimal training in order to autonomously mow any type of grass. Landscapers simply show Dexter what to do one time, and the robot then autonomously repeats those actions. Dexter utilizes cutting-edge technology, including LiDAR, cameras, GPS, ultrasonic sensors for precise maneuvering across diverse terrain, and OTA firmware updates. All robots are monitored while in use and incorporate a safety-rated system capable of detecting perimeter breaches in even the most adverse conditions. Dexter is being designed to the evolving R15.08 standard for self-driving robots and is available with no upfront costs through a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model.

About Electric Sheep Robotics

Electric Sheep Robotics was founded in 2019 by CEO Nag Murty, COO Jarrett Herold, and CPO Gunjit Singh. The company launched their first paid pilot in March 2020 and have steadily increased deployments and customer base since. Utilizing a Robotics-as-a-Service model, Electric Sheep retrofits existing commercial landscaping products into autonomous machines, solving the industry's critical labor shortage. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, with additional offices in Greater Philadelphia. For more information, please visit https://www.electricsheep.company, follow the company on Twitter @SheepRobotics, or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/electric-sheep-robotics/

Originally posted here:

Electric Sheep Robotics Brings Automation to America's Biggest Crop - Business Wire