The Morning After: Roomba maker iRobot files for bankruptcy

iRobot, the company that brought robotic vacuum cleaners to homes and popular culture, has filed for bankruptcy. It plans to sell all assets to its primary supplier, the Chinese company Picea Robotics. Investors “will experience a total loss and not receive recovery on their investment” if the deal is approved, iRobot said. The company didn’t discuss how the move might affect its employees in the US or elsewhere.

Amazon dropped its $1.7 billion acquisition of the company last year after a veto threat from European regulators, leaving the Roomba maker with no other option. Political scrutiny came on two fronts: The company was also reportedly hit hard by Trump’s tariffs in Vietnam, where it manufactures products for the US market.

iRobot launched its first Roomba in 2002, arguably inventing the world of robot vacuums — and the first robots to enter many of our homes. Competition from ...