Live call
Are consumer home robots viable again after Anki and Jibo?
No-go since 2026-10-25 · ledger #25
Neither the capital constraint nor the engagement problem has measurably changed.
Short answer
Anki, maker of the Cozmo and Vector robots, went bankrupt in April 2019 after losing a critical funding round. Jibo, a social home robot co-founded in 2012, was also gone by then. Hardware with thin margins needs patient capital and a reason to keep using the robot after the novelty fades. Neither constraint has measurably moved.
- Killing constraint
- Hardware margins and lasting use
E8 Capital availability
Consumer robots sell on novelty, cost real money to build and support, and struggle to stay in daily use.
Graveyard
Companies that died proving people wanted this. Capital shown where it was disclosed.
| Company | Years | Capital | How it died | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anki | 2010–2019 | — | Bankrupt in April 2019 after losing a critical funding round | source M |