DB Cargo partner OTIV receives 9 million euros for autonomous rail travel. OTIV secures EUR 9 million for autonomous train technologies and drives forward Europe's largest freight automation project with DB Cargo. The Belgian technology scale-up OTIV has closed a growth financing round of 9 million euros. The round was led by Miles Ahead and aims to accelerate the further development and commercialization of fully autonomous train technologies. According to the Deloitte Technology Fast 50, OTIV is one of the fastest growing tech companies in Belgium and is considered a key driver of innovation in the field of automated rail transportation. Largest freight automation project in Europe with DB Cargo. A particular focus is on the collaboration with DB Cargo. Together, the partners are driving forward what is currently the largest automation project in European freight transport. OTIV is supplying solutions in the areas of driver assistance, remote control and complete autonomy for locomotives and shunting vehicles. The aim is to enable more productive, safer and more sustainable processes in rail freight transport. Modular platform for industry, cities and main lines. Founded in 2020, the company offers a three-stage automation platform that ranges from assistance systems to fully autonomous driving functions. Fields of application include industrial railroads, streetcar networks and main lines in freight and passenger transport. OTIV is already working with international heavyweights such as Deutsche Bahn, SNCF and ArcelorMittal and is active in more and more countries. Automation as a lever for sustainability and capacity. OTIV specifically combines automation with sustainability goals: A single train replaces up to 50 trucks and produces nine times fewer CO[2] emissions, according to the company. Autonomous operating models are intended to increase capacities, mitigate the shortage of skilled workers and reduce energy consumption. The technology also enables 24/7 operation and greater reliability of complex rail networks in the future. Financing for development, scaling and international expansion. With the new capital, OTIV plans to further industrialize its autonomous systems, drive international expansion and open up additional markets. The founders Sam De Smet and Niels Van Damme see the financing as an important step towards making rail transport a central pillar of sustainable mobility. Lead investor Miles Ahead particularly emphasizes the technological maturity and practical use of the platform in industrial and urban scenarios.

Listen to this articleRobotics investments for January 2023 totaled $521 million as a result of 41 investments. Investments in firms working on autonomous vehicles and autonomous driving technologies were particularly in January 2023. Example companies include Oxbotica, Outrider, FERNRIDE and Ottopia. Companies providing unmanned aerial drones and drone-enabling technologies, as well as drone services for search and rescue, public safety, industrial inspection, mapping and surveying, also attracted funding for Terra Drone, SwissDrones, SentinelSky and Nautical Wings, for example. Robotics investments for December 2022 totaled $1.14B as a result of 55 investments. That represented a 7.7% increase over December 2021’s funding total of $1.06B (representing 65 investments).Table 1: January 2023 Robotics Funding and Investment

Belgium is one of Europe’s most well-established hubs of business, innovation and entrepreneurship. It’s a country that has garnered a reputation for itself as a home for economic success and is, of course, the centre of the European Union. According to the European Commission’s European Innovation Scoreboard, Belgium is a brilliant place for innovation – ranking number 5 for innovation in Europe. It’s a reflection of the country’s strong academic and research institutions, coupled with a thriving engineering and manufacturing sector, as well as a cutting-edge biotech industry. The Belgian startup ecosystem has become increasingly mature in recent years, with a significant increase in the number of scaleups and companies making a name for themselves on the global stage