Qualcomm to acquire PickNik Robotics and keep MoveIt open-source
Qualcomm Technologies Inc. announced it will acquire PickNik Inc., the creator of the MoveIt open-source manipulation framework. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, aims to streamline MoveIt integration with Qualcomm's Dragonwing platforms and accelerate the path from AI models to real‑time robot control.
Key points
- Qualcomm announced it will acquire PickNik, the developer of the MoveIt open-source manipulation framework.
- Qualcomm plans to integrate MoveIt with its Dragonwing platforms and Arduino VENTUNO Q boards while keeping MoveIt 1 and 2 open-source.
- The acquisition amount was not disclosed, joining recent physical‑AI deals such as Mobileye’s $900 million purchase of Mentee Robotics.
PickNik, founded in 2015 and known for its work on the Amazon Picking Challenge and its first customer Google, recently rebranded MoveIt Studio to MoveIt Pro and released version 9.0 with enhanced perception‑to‑motion features. Qualcomm said it will keep MoveIt 1 and 2 open‑source under existing licenses, support third‑party hardware, and integrate the software with Arduino VENTUNO Q boards following its 2025 acquisition of Arduino. Executives from both companies highlighted the commitment to open‑source collaboration and the potential to speed robotics development for developers worldwide.
Qualcomm to acquire PickNik Robotics and keep MoveIt open-source
The Robot Report · 23 September 2026
Loading the full article…
This text was published by The Robot Report and written by The Robot Report Staff. It is reproduced here with attribution so you can read it in full; the rights remain with the publisher. Read it at the source ↗
The headline, key points and digest above were generated by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources. Automated summaries can contain errors: the sources are the record. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. Published by Martin K., who runs Digest AI and handles corrections.
More in Robotics & Physical AI
All →- RoboBusiness 2026 to host panel on building reliable outdoor robots · 1 src
- Toyota estimates $6.4bn robotics spend from 2028 · 2 src
- Hello Robot to demo Stretch 4 home-assistance robot at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 · 1 src
- Barbara Mazzolai proposes sustainability robotics field · 1 src
- Boston Dynamics opens metaplant application center to train Atlas robots · 2 src
Comments
via GitHub Discussions