Brightpick
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Robotics |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Key people | Ján Žižka (CEO) |
| Website | brightpick |
Brightpick is a warehouse robotics company founded in Bratislava, Slovakia, in 2021. Its robots are used to pick and move goods in warehouses.[1][2]
Brightpick began as an internal project of Photoneo, a Slovak company specialising in 3D vision.[3] Zebra Technologies acquired Photoneo in 2025, while Brightpick remained independent.[4][5]
History
[edit]Brightpick was launched within Photoneo in 2021.[1][3] Photoneo had been founded in Slovakia in 2013 by Ján Žižka, Tomáš Kovačovský, Michal Malý and Branislav Puliš and developed 3D vision technology.[2]
Brightpick's first major customer was Czech online grocer Rohlik Group, which began testing its robots in 2022.[1][4][6] Brightpick then deployed robots in a warehouse serving Dr. Max.[2]
Zebra Technologies acquired Photoneo's machine-vision business in 2025.[7] Brightpick remained with its founders and continued independently.[4][5]
The company has also expanded its customer base in the US, through deployments with companies like The Feed and NAPA Auto Parts.[8][9][10]
More than 500 Brightpick robots were in use across Europe and the United States by 2026.[8]
Technology and operations
[edit]Autopicker is a mobile robot fitted with a robotic arm and machine vision. It removes storage containers from shelving and picks individual items from them.[11] Brightpick robots have been deployed in online grocery and pharmaceutical warehouses.[4][11]
Brightpick introduced Gridpicker in 2026, a grid-based system for warehouse storage and order picking.[8][12]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Zatloukal, Jiří (1 June 2025). "Roboti ze skladů Rohlíku a Dr. Maxe míří do USA. Stojí jako levné auto". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 Kačírek, Šimon (8 March 2026). "Mají jednu ruku a jsou z Bratislavy. Armáda robotů dobývá pod vedením Jána Žižky sklady v Česku i v USA". e15 (in Czech). Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- 1 2 Haluza, Ivan (10 December 2021). "Firemný newsfilter: Predcovidové investície sme nestratili, domácich rezňov bude menej a veľký skok robotov pre e-shopy". Denník N (in Slovak). Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Machri zo skladov. Slovák naučil robotov liezť na šesťmetrové police, trúfa si na miliardovú hodnotu". Forbes Slovensko (in Slovak). 11 March 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- 1 2 Tvardzík, Jozef (2025). "Slovakia's biggest M&A deals of the year: 365.bank, DNA ERA, and more". The Slovak Spectator. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ Hubička, Filip (16 November 2022). "Za rychlostí Rohlíku jsou i roboti ve skladech. Na projektu v Horních Počernicích spolupracuje společnost Brightpick, cílem je efektivnější kompletace zásilek". Ekonom (in Czech). Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ "Zebra Technologies Completes Acquisition of Photoneo" (Press release). Zebra Technologies. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Stovky robotů a útok na americký trh. Brightpick letos plánuje růst o 300 procent". Forbes Czechia (in Czech). 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ Carranza, Alejandra (7 February 2024). "Sports gear retailer deploys autopicker robots". Supply Chain Dive. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ Gonsalves, Antone (3 March 2026). "NAPA expands use of warehouse robots". Supply Chain Dive. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Roboti, do práce! Slovák mení pravidlá hry v skladoch, od investorov získal už 40 miliónov". Forbes Slovensko (in Slovak). Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ "Brightpick sees Gridpicker as new 'picking paradigm'". Logistics Matters. 26 May 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.