How iRobot lost its way home

iRobot, the pioneering robotics company founded in 1990 by MIT roboticist Rodney Brooks and colleagues, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after 35 years of innovation and growth. Best known for its Roomba vacuum, launched in 2002 and sold over 50 million units, iRobot grew from an AI research spinoff into a publicly traded company with significant venture investments. Its peak included launching a venture arm in 2015 to fund robotics startups and a planned acquisition by Amazon in 2022 for $1.7 billion, which was ultimately blocked by European regulators over antitrust concerns. The failed Amazon deal led to CEO Colin Angle’s resignation, a sharp stock decline, and workforce reductions. The company’s decline was accelerated by supply chain disruptions, increased competition from cheaper Chinese robot vacuums, and financial struggles despite a $200 million lifeline from The Carlyle Group in 2023. Now, Shenzhen PICEA Robotics, iRobot’s main supplier and lender,