Exotec is a French company that develops robots and software for warehouses and fulfillment centers. Romain Moulin and Renaud Heitz founded it in 2015. Its headquarters are in Wasquehal, near Lille.
Its main product is Skypod, a robotic storage and retrieval system for warehouses.
History
Before founding Exotec, Moulin and Heitz worked in industrial and medical robotics. Amazon's acquisition of warehouse robotics company Kiva Systems helped inspire them to start Exotec.
In 2016, French online retailer Cdiscount ordered robots from Exotec before the company had a working demonstration of its system. The first Skypod robots went into operation at Cdiscount's Cestas warehouse in 2017. The retailer later installed the system in Réau.
In December 2016, 360 Capital Partners and Breega invested €3.3 million in Exotec. The company raised another €15 million in June 2018, in a round led by Iris Capital. By September that year, it was assembling robots in Croix and planning to enter other European markets.
83North led a US$90 million investment in Exotec in September 2020. By then, Exotec had opened offices in Atlanta and Tokyo. The company raised another US$335 million in January 2022, at a valuation of US$2 billion.
In early 2026, Exotec opened its global headquarters in Wasquehal. The new site, called Imaginarium, covers approximately 25,000 square metres (270,000 sq ft). The building houses offices, research facilities and production operations that were previously spread across several sites.
Technology
Exotec supplies warehouse systems that combine robots, storage racks, containers, workstations, and software. Skypod robots move across floors and climb racks to collect containers. They deliver these to workers, who select the items needed for each order. The robots also carry containers back to storage when goods are restocked.
The shelves stay in place while Skypod robots carry individual containers around the warehouse. The robots navigate using lasers and return automatically to charging stations.
The company also developed Skypicker, a robotic arm that transfers individual items between containers. Its software coordinates the robots and the preparation of orders.
See also Automated storage and retrieval system Order picking Warehouse management system
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