Former iRobot® Leadership Team Back Together to Accelerate Soft Robotics Growth
Jeff Beck, CEO at Soft Robotics, Inc.
Jeff has been on the board of directors at Soft Robotics since 2017 and was named Executive Chairman in July 2020 before accepting this new role as Chief Executive Officer. Since stepping in as Executive Chairman, Jeff has implemented a focused strategy aimed at quickly expanding Soft Robotics’ global reach through targeted partnerships with machine builders. The company’s recently announced partnership with SMC® Corporation for example, has put Soft Robotics’ revolutionary technology into the hands of SMC’s multi-thousand-person sales team around the world.
“Soft Robotics has assembled the right leadership and the right strategy at the right time,” said Carmichael Roberts, Chairman of the Board and Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Material Impact. “Jeff brings a phenomenal track record of leading and growing businesses based on robotics innovation. In his short time as Executive Chairman, he has already catapulted the company into its next phase of growth, inking new partnerships and capitalizing on the rapid growth of the robotics automation category.”
Beck brings over 30 years of technology business leadership experience to the Soft Robotics team. Beginning as an engineer with Emerson Electric’s Industrial Controls business, he went on to lead large automation, power systems, aerospace, and robotics businesses for Danaher, AMETEK, and iRobot Corporation.
“After having served on the board for several years and as Executive Chairman for the past 7 months, I’m thrilled to join Soft Robotics as Chief Executive Officer and to continue working with Mark [Chiappetta] as COO to drive the business through its next phase of commercial growth and success,” stated Beck. “Soft Robotics has an incredible portfolio of patented technologies, a strong product offering, and an impressive history of commercial traction in the Food and Consumer Packaged Goods automation industries. Most importantly, we have assembled a formidable team of employees from Amazon Robotics, Omron, Yaskawa, FLIR, and of course iRobot, that are dedicated to the relentless pursuit of the multitude of growth opportunities presented to Soft Robotics. I can’t imagine a more exciting time for me to be joining the company’s leadership.”
In this new role, Jeff will once again join forces with Mark Chiappetta, Soft Robotics’ Chief Operating Officer. During their first collaboration at iRobot, this management duo developed the strategy and drove operational execution that powered explosive revenue growth and sparked the creation of an entirely new consumer technology category.
“When I think back through my thirty-year career, I can count on one hand the truly inspiring and capable business leaders I’ve worked with, and Jeff Beck is at the very top of that list,” said Chiappetta. “I’m delighted to be working with him again! What we were able to accomplish together in iRobot’s consumer robotics business was nothing short of amazing and I’m confident that we will recreate that success here at Soft Robotics.”
About Soft Robotics
Soft Robotics is an industry-leading and award-winning technology company that designs and builds automated picking solutions using proprietary soft robotic grippers, 3D machine perception, and SoftAI™ artificial intelligence. The company’s transformational robotic automation solutions enable machine builders to solve the hardest piece picking problems in industries like food processing, consumer goods production, and logistics.
Soft Robotics is backed by leading venture capital firms and strategic investors that include Calibrate Ventures, Hyperplane Venture Capital, Material Impact, Scale Venture Partners, FANUC, ABB Technology Ventures, Honeywell Ventures, Tekfen Ventures, and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
Elyse Winer
Material Impact
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