Sridhar Vembu’s Zoho Taps Into Robotics With 'Asimov' Acquisition

Zoho Corporation has acquired a Kochi-based start-up called ‘Asimov Robotics’, which is known for building service and industrial robots. The company made this announcement on July 2 during the inauguration of its research and development campus in Kerala’s Kottarakkara.

The acquisition came as a part of Zoho’s push to expand its research and development footprint in India. It also aligns with Zoho’s focus on robotics, deeptech innovation, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Asimov Robotics, founded in 2012 by Jayakrishnan T, focuses on developing humanoid robots, healthcare and assistive solutions as well as robotic platforms for industrial automatic and disaster response.

The start-up gained national prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic, when its robots were deployed in hospitals, and has since collaborated with several institutions on robotics research and implementation.

Besides Asimov Robotics acquisition, Zoho also announced R&D collaborations with Boson Motors, Vipus Advanced Materials, vTitan, Zentron Lab, Verdant Telemetry & Antenna Systems, Netrasemi, Energy 24by7, and IIT-Bombay.

The Kottarakkara campus was inaugurated by Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Zoho cofounder Sridhar Vembu, US CEO Tony Thomas and several other ministers also attended the event.

The new research centre, located at Neduvathoor in Kottarakkara, will start with 250 employees. The company plans to expand further by hiring more people from the region, offering training in advanced technologies, and building long-term career opportunities.

The residential IT campus is expected to boost both economic activity and skill development in Kottarakkara and surrounding rural areas. The new R&D campus is situated within the 3.5-acre IT Park developed by Zoho Corporation.