Robotshop

RobotShop Inc.
Private
Industry Service Robotic Market
Founded 2003[1]
Founder Mario Tremblay, Sandra Fradet
Headquarters Mirabel, Quebec[2]
Area served
 Canada, America, Europe, Japan, International
Products Domestic robots
Professional Robots
Robot Toys
Robot Development Platforms
Robot Kits
Robot Parts
Services Technical Support
Website www.robotshop.com

RobotShop Inc. RobotShop is a robot store for personal and professional robot technology. It provides personal, domestic and professional robots, development platforms, kits, and specialized robotic parts. RobotShop is also an important source for robotics education and research.[3][4] RobotShop sells worldwide.

History

Founding

On 3 May 2002 Mario Tremblay, president and founder of RobotShop, spearheaded a project with two of his university colleagues to build a robotic lawn mower named "RoboR" and created RobotShop - Robotics at your Service - as a general/unlimited partnership. With the financial backing of the Centre de Développement Technique de l'École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS) de Montréal (Centech) they began building a prototype of the robotic lawn mower.[5] In order to further finance research and development, RobotShop took on consultation and development work in general robotics for industrial and university clients.

Sandra Fradet joined Mario Tremblay end of 2003 to create RobotShop Distribution, and the previous unlimited partnership was dissolved. RobotShop was founded to distribute and sell robot parts and domestic robots. It was incorporated as RobotShop Distribution, Inc. and was renamed as RobotShop Inc. on January 4, 2016, to reflect the expansion of its activities in the service robotic market.[6] Shortly after the deployment of the website, the first sales started to come in.[7] In order to expand RobotShop they obtain encouragement from the Fond de Jeunesse Québec (FJQ), the Soutien aux Jeunes Entrepreneurs (SAJE) and also from the Fondation du Maire pour la Jeunesse de Montréal (FMMJ).[8]

Expansion

After months of working out of their homes, RobotShop relocated in October 2005 to an 1,800-square-foot (170 m2) space in Boisbriand, Quebec and soon they hired their first employees. The company continues to grow rapidly following the strong growth of the domestic robotics market. The facilities were enlarged up to 6,000 square feet (560 m2) in 2008 to respond to the increasing demand and the need for additional employee space.

In July 2010, RobotShop acquired Gorobotics.net, a popular blog bloging about robots since 2000.[9]

In July 2011, RobotShop moved in their new Headquarters in Mirabel offering 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) of space.[10] RobotShop now has a global logistic with warehouses in Canada, United-States and Europe.

In December 2011, RobotShop launched MyRobots.com the first social network for robots. MyRobots aims to be the "FaceBook for Robots".[11][12][13][14] In the same way humans benefit from socializing, collaborating and sharing robots can benefit from those interactions, too, by sharing their sensor information giving insight on their perspective of their current state.

In June 2012, RobotShop has been named one of PROFIT 200's Fastest-Growing Companies in Canada. Coming in at number 63, RobotShop has grown 843% in five years.[15][16]

In August 2012, RobotShop acquires Lynxmotion inc. Lynxmotion design and manufacture a variety of hobby and research level robot kits and parts, and specialize in a modular robotics building system known as the Servo Erector Set.[17] Lynxmotion also hosts an active online community forum of hobby roboticists at Lynxmotion.net where projects, code, and technology is shared and support is provided for products.

In June 2013, RobotShop Secures An Additional 100 000 sq. ft of Land that is adjacent to the 60,000 square they already own, totaling more than 160,000 square feet (3.67 acres).[18]

In December 2013, RobotShop Enters The Drone Market By Acquiring DiaLFonZo-Copter and Launches Lynxmotion UAV. DiaLFonZo-Copter specializes in designing and producing multi-rotor helicopter kits.[19]

In August 2015, RobotShop announced the acquisition of Let’s Make Robots (LMR), a website that brings together the world’s largest community of robot makers and enthusiasts.[20]

Personal and professional robots

RobotShop is specialized in the distribution of domestic and professional robots as well as parts required for custom robotic development. RobotShop sells specialized robotic parts including microcontrollers, sensors, motors and other robotic parts and development platforms.[21] RobotShop is also an important source for robotics education and research.[22][23]

Products and services

RobotShop's products include domestic and professional robots, robot parts, and toys.[24][25][26][27] RobotShop also provides domestic robot repair to their customers, support and troubleshooting, as well as a Learning Center providing both new and seasoned robot builders educational tools needed to build different types of robots.[28][29]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Industry Canada - Corporation
  2. ↑ "Robotshop: La robotique à votre portée". Québec Micro (in French). April 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  3. ↑ Lapierre, Isabelle. "L'aide du futur". Magazine Le Village (in French). Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  4. ↑ Massicotte, Jean-Sébastien (June 18, 2005). "Tondeuses-robots. Des appareils sans fil... et sans pilote ! Newspaper article about RobotShop and its products" (PDF). Le Soleil (in French). Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  5. ↑ ETS Centech: September 2002 Bulletin
  6. ↑ Industry Canada
  7. ↑ Synnett, Cindy (September 22, 2004). "Robotshop". Metro Montreal (in French). Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  8. ↑ 2005 SAJE/CLD 2005 Annual Report
  9. ↑ Press Release: GoRobotics.net Acquired by RobotShop
  10. ↑ Press Release: RobotShop Builds New Headquarters
  11. ↑ MyRobots.com Aims To Be 'Facebook For Robots' Forbes
  12. ↑ Facebook for robots helps droids get smarter NewScientist
  13. ↑ Is MyRobots.com the 'Facebook for Robots?' Verdict: Maybe IEEE Spectrum
  14. ↑ MyRobots.com: for all of your robot's social needs Engadget
  15. ↑ RobotShop.com, "The Amazon of Robotics" is one of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies.
  16. ↑ PROFIT 200: Ranking 2012
  17. ↑ Press Release: RobotShop Acquires Lynxmotion, a Leading Manufacturer of Educational Robot Kits
  18. ↑ RobotShop Secures An Additional 100 000 sq. ft of Land RobotShop Blog
  19. ↑ Press Release: RobotShop, “The Amazon of Robotics”, Enters The Drone Market By Acquiring DiaLFonZo-Copter and Launches Lynxmotion UAV
  20. ↑ Press Release: RobotShop Acquires LetsMakeRobots.com
  21. ↑ Abry.biz by Vincent Abry Interview with RobotShop's Mario Tremblay
  22. ↑ CRC Robotics Competition Sponsored by RobotShop
  23. ↑ Google Scholar: RobotShopRoboGames Sponsorship
  24. ↑ Turrentine, Jeff (May 5, 2005). "Relax, grass-cutting gizmo at work". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  25. ↑ Turrentine, Jeff (May 5, 2005). "Relax, grass-cutting gizmo at work" (pdf). Toronto Star. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  26. ↑ "Robotshop: La robotique à votre portée.". Québec Micro (in French). April 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  27. ↑ Television report on RobotShop Distribution Inc., NerdZ TV show, Thursday, November 30, 2006, by Jean Fournier
  28. ↑ Crowley, Dan (2005). The 505 Weirdest Online Stores: 505 Things You Never Thought You Could Buy ... Sourcebooks, Inc. p. 64. ISBN 1-4022-0377-2.
  29. ↑ RobotShop Learning Center
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