MUSE raises JPY 1.75 billion to mass-produce its Armo store robot and push into the US

The money comes from 15 corporate investors, venture firms and financial institutions through a mix of equity and debt[1]. Nikkei reports that JPY 650 million of the total is new equity, with the rest in loans[4].

ALPHA joined as the new lead investor[3]. Existing backers Incubate Fund, XTech Ventures, Spiral Capital, Toshiba Tec, Canal Ventures and YMFG Capital put in more, and Rakuten Capital, Gogin Capital and New Commerce Ventures are new to the cap table[1][2].

Armo is built to share the floor with staff and shoppers in supermarkets, home improvement stores and drugstores[1]. A single unit moves goods for shelf replenishment and online grocery picking, scans shelves for out-of-stock items, runs promotions and guides customers, changing tasks by time of day and store needs[1].

MUSE's pitch is utilisation. Rather than a robot that only scans shelves or only hauls stock, one machine stays busy across the day, which it says improves the return on each unit[1]. The shelf data Armo collects also feeds Eureka Platform, the company's cloud service for analysing stock gaps and displays[1].

The company plans to work with outside manufacturers to set up full-scale production and to strengthen quality assurance and maintenance[1]. Armo is already deployed with major Japanese retailers and has begun working in US stores, including Foodcellar Market in Long Island City, New York[1]. Its US subsidiary, MUSE US Inc., will lead sales, installation support and maintenance there[1]. Nikkei reports MUSE wants overseas sales to make up half its revenue within three years[4].

"Armo has moved beyond proof-of-concept trials to become part of daily store operations," said founder and chief executive Yasutaka Kasagi[1].

Retail is a tough place for robots: narrow aisles, crowds and a long list of small jobs. MUSE is betting that a general-purpose store robot will pay off faster than single-task machines, and existing investor Toshiba Tec calls it a strategic partner for smart stores[1]. The company has not disclosed how many robots it has deployed or named its Japanese retail customers.