Kerala-Based Robotics Firm SGBI to Invest £8 Million in the UK - News

Kochi-based Sastra Global Business Innovation (SGBI) has announced plans to invest £8 million (INR 90.17 crore) in the UK over the next three years. The investment, marking the first from a South Indian robotics company in the UK, was revealed by Jonathan Reynolds, British Trade Secretary, The Labour Party–UK, on the UK Government’s public sector information website following his visit to India.

SGBI specializes in robotics innovation and AI solutions for real-world device testing. Aronin Ponnappan, CEO and Co-Founder, SGBI, stated that the investment decision followed an export order executed in October 2023 for 150 testing robots for a UK public sector department. He mentioned that the company completed the order mainly from their 5,000 sq ft facility in Kalamassery, Kochi, where approximately 40 employees were involved.

Akhil Asokan, CFO and Co-Founder, SGBI, emphasized the company’s rapid growth from a startup incubated at Startup Village in 2013 to a global leader in robotics. He explained that since establishing its US headquarters in 2021 and setting up subsidiaries in the UK and India, the company has been well-positioned to cater to European and Asian markets. He further noted that the growing demand for testing robots in Europe has influenced their decision to expand further.

The £8 million investment is part of over £100 million invested by Indian companies in the UK. Reynolds noted that Indian investors are increasing interest in AI, professional services, and textiles, strengthening strong economic ties between the two nations.