"We want to leave a mark": Simobotics and the first Bulgarian autonomous mobile robot

Innovations in one of the fastest-growing fields in the world today – robotics. Made in Bulgaria and aiming to democratize access to technology through a non-standard business model. And mixed with a pinch of history, where even the name of Henry Ford sneaks in. This is how you can briefly describe the first Bulgarian autonomous mobile robot - called MITO and created by the start-up Simobotics.

The robot is the creation of Georgi Georgiev, an engineer also known as the founder of another robotics company - Giga Automata, which is behind the first Bulgarian collaborative robot Animoto.

As for MITO, its core development team consists of six people, though about 60 people were indirectly involved in making the machine. The first units are currently being assembled, and serial production is expected to begin in 2025.

The rise of mobile robotics

At the moment, automated robots, which are only somewhat autonomous in their movement, are a more familiar feature on the market. To get from point A to point B, they are guided by specially placed magnetic strips on the floor, barcode stickers on the walls or reflectors that help them recognize objects in the room.

But once an obstacle appears in front of an automated robot, it cannot continue without help," explains Georgiev to Economic.bg.

The new trend in robotics is Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR). In fact, scientists have been working on autonomous mobility technologies since the 1940s, but AMRs have only become commercially viable in the last 10-15 years. This is happening thanks to advanced computing power and the rapid development of sensor, optical and analytics technologies that allow robots to respond in real-time to their surroundings.

Autonomous robots first scan the place where they will operate, fix the work points and then find their own way. And if there are obstacles in front of them, they simply bypass them - "they themselves find the shortest and the route safest for them and for those around them".

We are presenting an entirely new class of mobile robots", points out Georgi Georgiev and adds that they can be called "multi-purpose".

With MITO, Simobotics is entering an extremely promising niche. In Europe specifically, the market for autonomous mobile robots is estimated to be close to US$530 million in 2022 and is expected to exceed US$3.3 billion by 2030, according to data in Business Market Insights.

Innovation and democratization

Generally, mobile robots perform one specific function – if they are flat, they must be able to carry cardboard or boxes, for example, and if they are forklifts, they must carry pallets. Recently, flat robots with robotic arms have also appeared.

MITO combines all these functions. Depending on the needs, it can be equipped with lifting forks, a lifting or stationary platform, a rack, a roller conveyor or an additional robotic arm. Also, it can work alone or together with several robots in a group.

Such a mobile platform can easily be implemented for e-commerce needs. Imagine that you place your purchase request through an e-store. It enters the warehouse ERP system, and from there, a task is given to the mobile robot, which goes to the shelves and selects the relevant product with its robotic arm.

Thanks to its various modular applications and additional accessories, MITO can serve not only to transport cargo but also to perform other activities - including transforming into a conveyor, thus eliminating the need to install heavy assembly lines. Other popular applications are palletizing and depalletizing for warehouse and production needs.

With MITO, Simobotics aims to create a universal solution. Because, as Georgi Georgiev explains, due to the lack of such a robot, clients have often had to purchase robots from different manufacturers, which makes their own processes more expensive and complicated.

We aim to consolidate the solution in one platform, in one ecosystem.”

Thanks to its modular structure, similar to the Apple Store, it will allow other companies to develop their own apps and sell them as separate products.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has also been implemented in MITO at several levels. "Our technology uses technologies with artificial intelligence, machine vision to recognize different models of pallets, even when their position changes," Georgi Georgiev gives an example. AI also helps to ensure safety, including obstacle avoidance.

The big goal of Simobotics is to democratize access to mobile robots and enable smaller businesses to equip themselves and thus increase their competitiveness.

The business model

One of the main advantages of Simobotics lies in the price of their robot, the basic one being 14,800 euros. According to Georgiev, the current alternatives on the market range from tens of thousands to over 100 thousand euros. He is adamant, though, that MITO's lower price does not come at the expense of quality and is dictated by the more specific business model of the company.

Usually, customers get a progressive discount with a larger quantity purchased. With us - you get the best price from the first purchased robot, because we want to democratize technology. We want to allow even small companies to have access to this technology and solution.”

In other words, the initial cost for clients is minimal. "The motive of the other companies is to sell more, and ours is to introduce the business sector to our technology so they can see for themselves that it leads to an increase in its competitiveness. Our goal is to get people to take the first step. The moment they get to know and experience the advantages, they will be motivated to multiply the fleet of mobile robots," believes Georgi Georgiev.

For Bulgarian companies, the preferential price for the first mobile robots purchased remains permanent regardless of the quantity.

After all, we are a Bulgarian company, and we want to leave a mark here by helping to increase the country's competitiveness as much as possible."

Where water has flowed, it will flow again

Simobotics is based in the city of Mizia, in the Province of Vratsa. It was in that same region that the emblematic carriage factory of the entrepreneur Mito Orozov was established in the 19th century. Its activity was so significant for its time that it ranked Bulgaria among the leading producers of carriages and carts. It even attracted the interest of Henry Ford himself, who had plans for joint activity with the Bulgarian business and sent a personal letter of condolences to the family of the industrialist after his death, in which he emphasized his great professional ethic.

In honor of Orozov and to remind the world of the Bulgarian industrial achievements, Simobotics named its first mobile robot after him - MITO.

The production of Simobotics will be located in Mizia, though it is not yet clear whether the start-up will use existing facilities or build its own base. To date, the first units for customers are already being assembled. At this stage, the capacity for serial production, which will start next year, is 100-200 units per year.

The main target markets at first are the countries in the Balkan region and Europe, and at a later stage, the USA and Asia will be included. "We have a clear plan on how to grow step by step and it would be risky to start with bigger steps than we can afford. That's why we first prefer to focus on nearby markets and then develop progressively," Georgi Georgiev points out.

He told Economic.bg that Simobotics is already working on a second autonomous mobile robot. However, it will be used for service needs and thus it will be even cheaper.

For markets like the Balkans and Asia or for smaller companies, it is relatively challenging to buy several robots like MITO, and not all processes require a high-end machine. That’s why, we are currently creating a smaller solution that is significantly more budget-friendly and with even more affordable software that will be able to be used anywhere, including shopping centers and stores, public buildings, industrial facilities, small manufacturing workshops and warehouses.”

Translated by Tzvetozar Vincent Iolov