Amazon announced on Friday that it has entered into a merger agreement to acquire robot vacuum cleaner maker, iRobot, in a $1.7 billion cash deal.
“We know saving time is important, and household chores take up valuable time that can be better spent doing something customers love,” Dave Limp, SVP of Amazon Devices, said in a statement. “For many years, the iRobot team has proven its ability to reinvent the way people clean with incredibly convenient and inventive products, cleaning when and where customers want it while avoiding common obstacles around the home. , automatic bin emptying Customers love iRobot products and I’m excited to work with the iRobot team to invent ways to make customers’ lives easier and more enjoyable.
Amazon says it will acquire iRobot at $61 per share in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $1.7 billion, including the latter’s net debt. iRobot CEO Colin Angle will remain as the company’s CEO.
“Since we launched iRobot, our team has been on a mission to create innovative and convenient products that make life easier for customers, leading to inventions like the Roomba and iRobot OS,” said Angle, President and CEO. from iRobot. “Amazon shares our passion for creating thoughtful innovations that empower people to do more at home, and I can’t think of a better place for our team to pursue our mission. I’m extremely excited to be part of Amazon and see what we can build together for customers in the years to come. »
iRobot is known for its 2002 Roomba vacuum that automatically vacuums floors and carpets. Since then, the company has expanded its product line to include wet sweepers, cordless vacuums and self-emptying Roombas. Roombas already has Amazon Alexa integration and the acquisition will likely bring further discounts on Roombas during sale periods such as Prime Day and more.
