Риох заключила финансовый альянс с Telexistence для внедрения роботизированных систем в ритейле

Ricoh forms Telexistence alliance for TX GHOST retail robotics KEY POINTS - Ricoh forms capital alliance with Telexistence through RICOH Innovation Fund - Partnership focuses on automation for retail and logistics using robotics, AI and robot-operation data - Ricoh and Ricoh Japan begin collaboration talks in physical AI and robot businesses Ricoh has signed a capital alliance agreement with Telexistence through its corporate venture capital vehicle, the RICOH Innovation Fund, the company said on July 16, as the office equipment and digital services group moves to expand automation offerings using robotics and artificial intelligence. Telexistence, a University of Tokyo-origin startup established in January 2017, provides robot-as-a-service, or RaaS, offerings for the retail and logistics sectors. Ricoh said the investment is intended to support the social deployment of automation solutions using robotics and AI, while addressing labor shortages and rising labor costs. Ricoh said demand for labor-saving and automation solutions has been rising rapidly in retail and logistics as worker shortages deepen and minimum wages increase. It said conventional industrial robots have faced limits in stores and logistics sites, where people and goods move constantly, because they are generally designed for predefined environments. Telexistence operates a platform that combines remote human operation with AI, allowing it to accumulate robot motion data from real-world environments. Based on that platform, the company offers beverage restocking robots for convenience stores under the TX GHOST and TX SCARA brands, which are already in operation at a major domestic convenience store chain under a monthly subscription model. The startup is also developing a motion data business built around large-scale collection and use of remote robot operation data for robotics foundation models in the generative AI era. Ricoh said Telexistence's strengths include a vertically integrated development structure spanning robot development, AI development and data collection, as well as data generation capabilities using overseas bases. Ricoh and domestic sales arm Ricoh Japan are already studying joint work in research and development in the physical AI field and in robot businesses. Through the capital alliance and an initial collaboration framework, Ricoh plans to deepen ties with Telexistence and explore opportunities for new value creation through open innovation. Ricoh established the RICOH Innovation Fund in November 2023 as part of efforts to accelerate its transformation into a digital services company. The group provides services and solutions in about 200 countries and territories and posted consolidated sales of 2.6083 trillion yen for the year ended March 2026. Japan's retail and logistics industries have faced persistent labor shortages as the population ages and the workforce shrinks, prompting broader interest in automation technologies that can operate in less structured real-world settings. Robot-as-a-service models, which spread hardware costs over recurring fees, have gained traction as companies look to lower upfront investment barriers. © Copyright 2026 IBTimes JP. All rights reserved.