A Kerala-based robotics company, SGBI (Science Global Business Innovations), is planning to invest £8 million (90.29 crore) in the UK over the next three years. The announcement came from British Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds via the UK government's website. According to Reynolds, this investment is part of a broader wave of Indian investments in the UK, totalling £100 million.
SGBI, previously known as Sastra Robotics, is a specialised robotics firm based in Kochi. The company is expected to use this investment to expand its robotics business and create around 75 new jobs in the UK. If everything goes as planned, it could be the first robotics company from South India to establish a significant presence in the UK market.
This move follows an order SGBI received in October 2023 for 150 testing robots from the UK. Co-founder and CEO Aaronin Ponnappan noted that the order was fulfilled at their facility in Kalamassery, Kerala, which employs 40 people in a 5,000 sq. ft. unit.
He suggested that this investment might be a next step, given the growing demand for robotics solutions in Europe.
The company, which started in 2013 at Startup Village, has expanded quickly. Co-founder and CFO Akhil Ashokan pointed out that SGBI has already been growing its presence in Europe and other Asian markets through its US-based entity, SGBI Incorporated, since 2021. He mentioned that European industries have shown increasing interest in testing robots, which could be a key factor driving this new investment.
SGBI currently works with well-known companies such as Robert Bosch, HCL Technologies, Honeywell, Qualcomm, ABB, and Tech Mahindra.
