Jonathan Feist / Android Authority
TL;DR Popular robot vacuum Roomba’s maker, iRobot, has filed for bankruptcy.
iRobot’s business will transition to a new owner, which is also its primary manufacturer.
The company has shown signs of distress since its acquisition by Amazon failed to secure the EU’s approval in early 2024.
Roomba has, over the past decades, become the colloquial term for household robot vacuums. Despite its success, the company behind the product lineup is facing an economic downturn.
Roomba’s seller, iRobot, recently announced (via The Verge) that it has filed for bankruptcy in the District of Delaware. However, iRobot is using Chapter 11 terms, which means that the business is likely to continue to exist rather than being liquidated to pay back its debtors. Instead, iRobot will transfer 100% of the business ownership to its primary manufacturers, Shenzhen PICEA Robotics Co. Ltd. and Santrum Hong Kong Co. Ltd., who will hold the rights collectively under the name Picea.
Following the approval from the Delaware Court, iRobot intends to operate privately under the new owners. This transaction, the company says, will allow it to “continue operating in the ordinary course, pursue its product development roadmap, and maintain its global footprint.”
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iRobot further ensures that the transfer of ownership will not disrupt Roomba owners’ usage. It says the transaction will have “no anticipated disruption to its app functionality, customer programs, global partners, supply chain relationships, or ongoing product support.”
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