삼성전자가 2023년 868억원을 투자해 14.7%의 지분을 갖고 있는 레인보우로보틱스에 대해 보유 중인 콜옵션을 행사하며, 레인보우로보틱스의 지분을 35.0%로 늘려 2대 주주에서 최대 주주가 된다. 레인보우로보틱스는 삼성전자의 연결재무제표상 자회사로 편입될 예정이다.
Becomes the largest shareholder with a 35.0% stake and is incorporated as a consolidated subsidiary
Samsung Electronics has secured the position of largest shareholder of Rainbow Robotics, a leading domestic robot company, and is accelerating the development of future robots such as humanoids.
Samsung Electronics announced on the 31st that it exercised a call option it held for Rainbow Robotics, in which it will invest 86.8 billion won in 2023 and own a 14.7% stake.
With this, Samsung Electronics will increase its stake in Rainbow Robotics to 35.0%, moving from the second largest shareholder to the largest shareholder. Rainbow Robotics will be included as a subsidiary in Samsung Electronics’ consolidated financial statements.
Rainbow Robotics is a robotics company founded in 2011 by researchers at KAIST Hubo Lab, who developed Korea's first bipedal walking robot, Hubo.
By incorporating Rainbow Robotics as a subsidiary, Samsung Electronics has further solidified its foundation for developing future robots.
Samsung Electronics plans to accelerate the development of intelligent, advanced humanoids by combining its AI and software technologies with Rainbow Robotics' robotics technology.
To this end, Samsung Electronics established the Future Robot Promotion Team directly under the CEO.
The Future Robot Promotion Group is an organization that focuses on the development of future robot technology, including humanoids, and plans to secure the competitiveness of the original technology of future robots that will change the future paradigm and turn it into a key growth engine.
Professor Oh Jun-ho, a founding member of Rainbow Robotics and professor emeritus at KAIST, will serve as an advisor to Samsung Electronics and head of the Future Robot Promotion Group after leaving Rainbow Robotics. Professor Oh plans to contribute to Samsung Electronics' development of future robots based on his robotics technology and business know-how accumulated over a long period of time in academia and industry.
As the largest shareholder of Rainbow Robotics, Samsung Electronics also operates a synergy council between the two companies to strengthen global robotics business and development leadership.
The Synergy Council will serve as a bridge to help the two companies grow by developing future robot technologies, establishing robot business strategies, and discovering demand.
For example, Samsung Electronics plans to utilize Rainbow Robotics' collaborative robots, dual-arm robots, and autonomous mobile robots to automate manufacturing, logistics, and other tasks.
These robots can greatly improve their work capabilities by learning and analyzing situational data and environmental variables that occur on-site using AI algorithms.
Rainbow Robotics is expected to be able to actively advance into overseas markets by utilizing Samsung Electronics' global sales infrastructure.
A Samsung Electronics official said, “As Samsung Electronics has become the largest shareholder of Rainbow Robotics, we expect a synergy effect in the development of future robots,” adding, “Ultimately, it will greatly contribute to the win-win growth of both companies.”