New York-based Yarbo, which has built what it calls the world’s “first year-round multipurpose intelligent yard robot,” has successfully closed a $27 million Series B funding round, raising the amount from a “group of strategic and financial investors.” In 2022, Yarbo raised about $3.5 million in a crowdfunding campaign.
The fresh injection of capital will turbocharge Yarbo’s ability to scale mass production, enhance supply chain resilience, and deepen investment in R&D, the 10-year-old company said. It also hinted at “pre-IPO planning,” and global expansion.
Founded by Allen Huang, who was educated in China and Hong Kong, Yarbo initially started with Snowbot, targeting snow removal. It has since transformed its flagship device to fit several other needs. With its so-called “1+N” modular design, Yarbo offers users year-round functionality with interchangeable modules — from snow blowing in winter to lawn mowing in summer, to leaf blowing in autumn. Huang has led the company since its inception, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Yarbo has showcased its robot at the CES in Las Vegas for the past two years, drawing much attention at the show and leading up to reviews on publications such as CNET and Wired magazine.
“The Yarbo modular robot addresses all your outdoor grooming needs. Attach or detach three different modules — a leaf blower module, a snow blower module, or a lawn mower module — to the Yarbo body,” Wired said in a review last year. “Yarbo uses its own computer vision system and other AI smarts to navigate around your yard like an outdoor Roomba, complete with obstacle identification, virtual boundaries, and no-go zones. It will also return to its dock to auto-recharge when necessary.”
The fully autonomous robot sports a modular design, data connectivity, wireless charging, smart route planning, app control, and remote control and next-generation smart obstacle avoidance. Yarbo claims patented technology for precise positioning and navigation of the robot. Yarbo has so far run a direct-to-consumer business. This month, the company said its spring sale and launch of a robotic trimmer generated $850,000 in sales of 702 units, including 284 trimmers. The company says it expects 4–5x sales growth in 2025, supported by expansion across North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
