- iRobot is now fully owned by Chinese manufacturing company Picea following the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process
- A new ‘iRobot Safe’ subsidiary will be responsible for protecting US consumer data
- Engineering, product development, marketing, etc. will be ‘rooted’ in the US
Last December, we learned that iRobot—the parent brand behind the Roomba—had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was to be rescued from oblivion by Chinese manufacturing company Picea Robotics. Now the takeover is officially complete: iRobot is now a privately held company and fully owned by Picea. Based on the press release, however, it seems that iRobot is clinging to its American roots as much as possible.
The most notable new development is that iRobot has announced a series of security measures designed to protect US and other global consumer data, including European data. This includes the creation of a subsidiary – ‘iRobot Safe’ – that is entirely focused on data protection and governance.
When I spoke with CEO Gary Cohen shortly after the acquisition plans were announced, he assured me that customer data would not be leaving the US. It seems that iRobot is doubling down on this point as a way to reassure customers.
The announcement reads: “iRobot Safe, as well as other iRobot controls, is designed to maintain a clear separation between iRobot’s non-US ownership and its US and other global consumer data.” The subsidiary has been created as part of the company’s broader restructuring, will be “governed by an independent board of US citizens,” and will be based in the United States.
Another notable point is that iRobot was keen to emphasize that it would cling to its American roots. “iRobot will continue to be a US-based global consumer robotics company, maintaining its headquarters in Bedford, Massachusetts,” the press release reads. It goes on to confirm that key processes, including engineering, product development and marketing, remain “rooted” in the United States.
Who is Picea and what does it mean for iRobot?
Picea already had a relationship with iRobot before the acquisition began—it’s been on board as a contract manufacturer for a few years, and took a more involved role in the engineering development and testing process when the brand decided to wipe out and replace its product lineup in March 2025. In my chat with Cohen, he emphasized how excited he was about the expertise Picea could bring to the table.
The latest announcement doesn’t cover iRobot’s short- and long-term plans, but when the takeover was first agreed, Cohen was keen to stress that it would be “business as usual” for existing Roomba customers, with no interruptions to product or app support and no impact on warranties. He was also excited about the potential development in the longer term, hinting that the company is not only looking at creating new robot vacuums to hit specific niches, but that it might move into developing different kinds of robo-helpers.
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