Samsung Electronics has received final approval from South Korea's antitrust regulator to acquire Rainbow Robotics, paving the way for the tech giant to expand its robotics business to humanoid robots.
The Fair Trade Commission approved Samsung's acquisition of a controlling stake in Rainbow Robotics on Wednesday, concluding that the merger poses minimal concerns regarding market competition.
“With the approval, we will accelerate the development of future robots, including advanced intelligent humanoids, by integrating our artificial intelligence and software technologies with Rainbow Robotics' robotics technology,” a Samsung Electronics official said.
Samsung initially invested 86.8 billion won ($60 million) in 2023 to acquire a 14.7 percent stake in Rainbow Robotics. In December, the company exercised a call option to increase its stake to 35 percent and subsequently filed for regulatory approval in January.
The FTC determined that the acquisition would not significantly restrict competition, noting that rival robotics firms could still procure DRAM, NAND flash and small secondary batteries from alternative suppliers, even if Samsung Electronics or its affiliate Samsung SDI adjusted supply terms. Additionally, the commission found that Samsung had little incentive to restrict supply to competitors.
“The acquisition presents an opportunity to enhance the competitiveness of the domestic robotics industry, currently led by companies from Japan and Germany,” a FTC official said.
With the approval, Samsung will fully integrate Rainbow Robotics into its consolidated financial statements and intensify its robotics initiatives. The company plans to merge its artificial intelligence and software expertise with Rainbow Robotics’ technological capabilities.
To spearhead its robotics ambitions, Samsung has established the future robotics task force under Vice Chairman and co-CEO Han Jong-hee. Oh Jun-ho, an honorary professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and a founding member of Rainbow Robotics, has been appointed as head of the task force.
Samsung's immediate focus will be on robotics applications in the home, manufacturing, retail and kitchen environments. Leveraging the expertise gained in these fields, the company aims to extend its business into humanoid robotics.
The AI companion robot, Ballie, expected to launch as early as May, will mark the beginning of Samsung's expanded robotics venture. Given Rainbow Robotics' strong technological foundation in collaborative robots, dual-arm robots and autonomous mobile robots, Samsung is likely to extend its footprint into manufacturing and logistics automation.
Samsung is also preparing to enter the humanoid robotics sector. Rainbow Robotics, founded by researchers from KAIST’s Hubo Lab, developed Korea’s first bipedal humanoid robot, Hubo, and is widely recognized for its expertise in the field.
Industry watchers are also eyeing whether Samsung will pursue further robotics acquisitions.
During a press conference in January, Han said, "Samsung Electronics is not currently a leader in the robotics industry, but we are continuously investing in future growth drivers, including mergers and acquisitions. Robotics is a crucial area for our future growth strategy."
In a recent letter to shareholders, Han and board Chairman Kim Han-jo emphasized the company’s commitment to new frontiers, stating, "To secure new growth engines in the AI-driven future, we will continue to challenge ourselves in robotics, medtech and next-generation semiconductors."
yeeun@heraldcorp.com
