Today is a special moment for Avidbots, a landmark in our history, and a sign of bigger and better things to come. 

On January 15, 2014, our mission to unlock humanity’s potential through robotics and automation officially sparked into life. Armed only with a vision of the future and a singular focus to see it through, we’re happy to announce that today marks our 10-year anniversary as a company!

In 2014 innovations such as artificial intelligence and automation weren’t brand-name technologies like they are today. So just like Neo, our Matrix-inspired namesake cleaning robot, we looked to give the cleaning industry its own red or blue pill moment: explore a new reality for workers and businesses alike or continue along the current path.

Time flies when you’re designing technology that solves today’s challenges while redefining how companies operate in the years to come. That’s certainly been the case over the last decade, with many standout memories and fork-in-the-road moments. Here’s a few that spring to mind as we celebrate this milestone anniversary.

How our robots evolved

Our first robot, Neo, was the culmination of nine prototypes. Built from the ground up, each step along the way expanded Neo’s existing capabilities while adding new ones. From sensors and software to batteries and solution tanks, Neo adapted to meet the needs of our customers.

Neo 2 was the next step, an evolution in our core technologies that made cleaning floors and disinfecting surfaces even smarter and more efficient. Boasting cutting-edge advancements in robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and more, Neo 2 continued to maximize productivity while minimizing human intervention.

Next up was Neo 2W, our purpose-built solution for warehousing and manufacturing environments that solves the unique cleaning needs of industrial spaces. Once again, using first-hand feedback from our customers, we added features and functionality to further improve Neo’s productivity in dynamic industrial settings.

Currently in its third generation and with over 1000 robots deployed globally, we never could’ve imagined our progress to date. And yet despite all the breakthroughs so far, we have even larger, more groundbreaking releases lined up for 2024 and beyond.

Awards and recognition

Every iteration of our robots and our company also coincided with awards and recognition along the way. Each was a reaffirmation of our corporate strategies, company culture, and goals, and each served as further motivation to set new benchmarks in our industry.

The accolade that fills us with the most pride, though, is our standing as a Great Place to Work for five years in a row. It’s one thing to reach your business targets, but it’s quite another to do so while supporting, nurturing, and fulfilling the needs of your most important asset: your employees. Simply put, Avidbots wouldn’t exist without the Avidbotters who continue to shape its present and future, and there’s no better yardstick for company success.

We were also taken aback when Deloitte named Avidbots as one of Canada’s 50 fastest growing technology companies in 2020, recognition that arrived just weeks after launching Neo 2.

We repeated the feat a year later, except this time on a larger scale after also making Deloitte’s 2021 Technology Fast 500 as one of North America’s fastest growing technologies companies — and we haven’t slowed down!

More recently, we made waves closer to home after being named as one of Canada’s top 20 innovators in the artificial intelligence space by the Vector Institute, an independent, not-for-profit corporation committed to research in the field of artificial intelligence.

Canada is a hotbed for robotics and AI, punching well above its weight class, so to make such a list was a feel-good moment for a company whose co-founders earned their stripes at one of the nation’s leading educational institutions in robotics research, the University of Waterloo.

The best is yet to come

These past 10 years have been a roller-coaster ride of emotions. But it’s occasions like today where long days, late nights, early mornings, and countless miles by car and plane prove they were worth every minute.

Avidbots’ journey has been a trek up and down a winding path, but we always believed in the final destination. And it’s with that in mind that we choose to look forward as we commemorate the past.

Ten years fill us with joy, but it’s the next 10 years that leave us brimming with optimism, and it’s all because of our extremely talented team.

To the countless Avidbotters who propelled us forward with their dedication, ingenuity, and personality over these past 10 years, you’re the bedrock of this company. Thank you, and here’s to another 10!