Bright Machines was founded in 2018 by a group of executives from AutoCAD maker Autodesk and contract manufacturing giant Flex. The aim was to combine AI and robotics to create a multipurpose automated manufacturing system called a “microfactory.”
They wanted the robot to be easier to reprogram and more flexible compared to traditional robots used in manufacturing, which are expensive and time-consuming to set up and can only be used for one purpose. .
The company was originally founded to assemble and test electronic equipment. But the company said its robots have been successful in manufacturing data center equipment used in the rapidly expanding AI market. “The expertise of our staff across multiple disciplines puts Bright Machines at the forefront of the AI and manufacturing space,” Stori said in a statement.
In June, it announced a $126 million Series C investment round that included Nvidia and Microsoft. The funding “highlights the intense pressure large cloud computing providers face to scale their AI infrastructure,” the company said at the time.
Stori says the company will bring on a CEO with experience in enterprise networking and manufacturing.
Mr. Stori was General Manager of Cisco’s Enterprise Networking, Meraki, and IoT divisions. At McKinsey, he advised U.S. manufacturing and industrial companies on expanding into international markets, according to Bright Machines.
Bright Machines’ microfactory looks like a series of futuristic phone booths. Inside, robotic arms, cameras, and other equipment and tools work together to assemble server boards and other electronics.
