iRobot, the American robotics company best known for its Roomba vacuum cleaners, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, marking a dramatic turn in its 35-year history. Founded in 1990 by MIT roboticist Rodney Brooks and his students, the company helped bring robots from research labs into everyday homes. Its Roomba vacuum, launched in 2002, became a household name and sold over 50 million units worldwide.
The company grew rapidly in its early years, raising millions of dollars from investors and going public in 2005. At its peak, iRobot was strong enough to invest in other robotics startups, signaling its success and influence in the tech industry. Hopes rose further in 2022 when Amazon agreed to buy iRobot for $1.7 billion, a deal seen as a major breakthrough for the company.
However, the Amazon acquisition collapsed in early 2024 after European regulators raised concerns about competition. Amazon walked away, paid a breakup fee, and iRobot soon faced serious trouble. Sales had already been falling due to supply chain problems and cheaper competitors from China. The company cut jobs, its stock price fell sharply, and a large loan from The Carlyle Group only delayed the crisis.
Under the bankruptcy plan, iRobot will now be taken over by its main supplier, China-based Shenzhen PICEA Robotics. The company says it will continue operating normally for now, with no disruption to customers, products, or services. While Roomba devices will keep working, experts warn that some advanced features like app control and smart scheduling could be at risk if the company’s cloud services are affected in the future.