Robotics Project Financing
Delivered August 12, 2020. Contributor: AAAlexandra
Goals
To support the development of a startup that provides system integration and financing support for industrial robotics companies by determining the existing pathways for project financing for revenue positive projects that involve hardware/software components, including the most common sources of capital, their approval criteria for providing financing and the steps involved in executing this financing. In parallel, to identify 5-10 capital-offtake providers.
Early Findings
Project Financing within the Robotics Industry
- Overall, initial research indicates that project financing designed specifically for robotics companies represents an area of white space in the industry.
- Notably, robotics companies (e.g., Universal Robots, RobotWorx, Mobile Industrial Robots) are increasingly partnering with banks to offer tailored financing services that enable customers to acquire their products.
- However, it appears that robotics startups remain largely dependent on more traditional, generic sources of company and project financing, including:
Banks that Specialize in Robotics Financing
- With that said, banks are joining the roster of angel and venture capital firms that specialize in offering their capital to robotics companies.
- Although there appears to be no pre-compiled list of banks that are targeting robotics startups, the research team identified several bank-led robotics financing programs.
- Nexseer offers "Creative and Flexible Financing for Robotics" within the following parameters:
- "Project, installation, and construction financing available
- Single transactions or master lease lines $1MM to $50MM
- Equipment leases and loans
- Cross border, international, and multi-currency
- Investment grade, middle market, and turnaround credits
- Up to 10 year terms
- Financing for software, soft costs, installation, etc."
- US Capital Corporation similarly provides "Robotics & Automation
Equipment Financing."
- DLL offers major lease and usage-based financing solutions for software and robotics-related needs.
- Notably, such robotics-oriented financing programs may be explored further to identify the typical criteria and steps involved in setting up and executing project financing to robotics companies.
Robotics Accelerator Programs
- A variety of accelerator programs are offering company and project financing to robotics companies, including RobotUnion and RobotShop.
- Similarly, these accelerator programs may be assessed to identify the typical criteria and steps involved in setting up and executing project financing to robotics companies.
Capital-Offtake Providers
- Meanwhile, initial research indicates that there is limited, pre-compiled information about capital-offtake providers within the robotics industry (or in general).
- However, generic best practices around structuring capital-offtake agreements can be further researched.
Proposed next steps:
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