LG Takes Control of Bear Robotics, Plans Home Robot Launch

Seoul, South Korea—LG Electronics said on Friday that it will acquire a controlling stake in Bear Robotics, a Silicon Valley-based autonomous service robotics company, by exercising a call option for an additional 30 percent ownership.

The South Korean electronics manufacturer's board approved the call option exercise on January 22.

The transaction will increase LG's ownership to 51 percent, up from its initial 21 percent stake, which it acquired in March 2024 through a USD 60 million investment.

LG Electronics will integrate its LG CLOi Robots commercial robotics business with Bear Robotics. 

The Silicon Valley company will retain its management team, including CEO John Ha.

Bear Robotics operates in the United States, South Korea, and Japan. 

The company specializes in AI-powered indoor delivery robots and provides distributed multi-robot control systems, remote fleet management, and AI-powered robot platforms.

LG Electronics announced the planned release of its Self-driving AI Home Hub, designated Q9, within 2025. 

The Q9 integrates multimodal sensing capabilities with Microsoft voice recognition and synthesis technology for home navigation and appliance control.

The company's Production Engineering Research Institute has developed an Autonomous Vertical Articulated Robot. 

The system incorporates cameras, radar, and LiDAR sensors for material handling, assembly operations, and defect inspection.

LG plans to develop an integrated software platform using Bear Robotics' technology across its commercial, industrial, and home robotics segments.

The financial terms of the additional stake acquisition were not disclosed.