If robots are taking over the world, McKinney may be a great place to start—especially now that Robin Autopilot and its recent acquisition Mowbot are moving there.

With a grant from the McKinney Economic Development Corporation’s Innovation Fund, Robin is consolidating both by moving to a new HQ.

In April, robot tech company Robin acquired North Carolina-based Mowbot, a competitor with 16 franchises across the U.S. As part of the deal, Robin expanded its partnership with Husqvarna, a global leader in outdoor power products.

Currently headquartered in Irving, Robin plans to relocate 17 jobs in the move and create 53 more over the next three years, growing its total employee count to 75. As a result of its acquisition, Mowbot will now be known as “Mowbot Powered by Robin.”

“As we continue our rapid expansion and strengthen our leadership position in robotic solutions for the lawn care industry,” said Logan Fahey, CEO of Robin Autopilot Holdings, in a statement, “We thank the MEDC board and everyone else who helped make this relocation possible.”

Robin’s new HQ will initially occupy 10,000 square feet, with options for expansion. Robin was represented in the selection process by CBRE and Jackson Walker.

Move is largest Innovation Fund relocation

Danny Chavez, senior vice president at MEDC, called the Robin move “the largest Innovation Fund relocation to date.”

“The Robin team has been great to work with and we’re looking forward to seeing them scale,” Chavez said in the statement. “It’s validating to see our team’s hard work become reality in building a vibrant innovation economy here in McKinney.”

In using the Innovation Fund, Robin is a company that has company. Alanna.ai, MyTelemedicine, and ContraForce also recently opened headquarters in McKinney via the fund.

Photo: Robin Autopilot

A “smarter” lawn care experience

Launched in 2017, Robin is aiming for a bigger cut of the $105 billion landscaping services market. Its edge: offering a “smarter” lawn care experience with emissions-free, battery-powered robotic mowers that can trim a yard daily, much like robot vacuums. The company says the pollution-reducing benefits are equivalent to replacing two family cars with EVs, for a price less than traditional gas-powered mowing.

The robotic lawn mower market is poised to grow by $697 million over the next five years, Robin states, toward a market valued at $1 billion. Robin’s recent moves aim to strengthen its position in the RaaS (Robots as a Service) industry, with a goal of transforming the future of lawn care.

To help realize that future nationwide, Robin offers subscribers a customized platform for running a RaaS business, with tiered access to proprietary products including a robotic door for fences, and non-proprietary products including training, support, and financing for robotic mowers and doors.

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