The US company behind the Roomba robot vacuum cleaner has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and agreed to be taken over by a Chinese supplier, Picea Robotics.
iRobot, listed in the US and founded in 1990 by MIT roboticists, said the restructuring deal will see it acquired by a subsidiary of Picea, one of its main manufacturing partners. The company has struggled in recent years due to supply chain disruptions, rising competition from cheaper rivals and falling demand after the pandemic boom.
Chief executive Gary Cohen said the takeover would strengthen iRobot’s finances by combining its product design and research capabilities with Picea’s manufacturing expertise. The company said the bankruptcy process would allow it to continue operating, pay employees and suppliers, and maintain product support and its mobile app.
iRobot’s troubles follow the collapse of a proposed $1.4bn takeover by Amazon, which was abandoned in 2024 after regulatory opposition in the EU. Although iRobot received compensation, its financial position continued to weaken. The company reported a net loss of $145.5m last year and is now valued at about $137m, down sharply from more than $3bn in 2021.
The acquisition by a Chinese firm may revive privacy concerns linked to Roomba devices, which can map users’ homes. iRobot said the filing would not disrupt customers, supply chains or services.
