Zoho acquires Asimov Robotics, opens R&D campus in Kerala to deepen AI capabilities

Zoho Corporation has acquired Asimov Robotics, a Kochi-based startup known for building service and industrial robots, as part of a wider push to expand its research and development footprint in India.

The announcement was made on July 2 during the inauguration of Zoho’s research and development campus in Kerala’s Kottarakkara.

Founded in 2012 by Jayakrishnan T, Asimov Robotics develops humanoid robots, healthcare and assistive robots and robotic platforms for industrial automation and disaster management.

The startup gained national attention for building robots used in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has worked with multiple institutions on robotics research and deployment.

The acquisition aligns with Zoho’s focus on artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and deep-tech innovation.

The company said its Kottarakkara campus will be dedicated to cutting-edge R&D in these areas, with an emphasis on building capabilities locally and making India self-reliant in critical technologies.

“This campus will strengthen our R&D capabilities, starting with AI and robotics. We will also collaborate with like-minded deep-tech organisations to amplify our efforts,” said Shailesh Davey, co-founder and CEO of Zoho Corp.

The company’s goal is to nurture innovation from rural India while solving high-end technology challenges, he said.

Zoho has partnered with the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) to co-develop a “deep-tech product studio” to enable startups and researchers to work on frontier technologies.

Zoho is the first industry partner for the programme and will offer mentorship and collaborate with participants on real-world applications.

Zoho also announced R&D collaborations with Boson Motors, Vipus Advanced Materials, vTitan, Zentron Labs, Verdant Telemetry & Antenna Systems, Netrasemi, Energy 24by7, and IIT-Bombay, covering areas such as clean energy, semiconductors, healthcare tech, and advanced materials.

The Kottarakkara campus was inaugurated by Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu, US CEO Tony Thomas and several ministers were among those who attended the event.