Rockwell Automation

What they do

Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK) is the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation. Through its venture capital arm, ROKStar Ventures, the company makes strategic minority investments in early-to-growth stage startups. The venture group acts as an innovation pipeline, providing Rockwell with visibility into disruptive technologies while offering startups access to Rockwell's massive global customer base, co-selling opportunities, and technical mentorship. The firm is highly regarded in the industrial tech ecosystem and frequently uses its venture investments as a stepping stone for future M&A.

What they look for

ROKStar Ventures' stated purpose is to provide visibility into strategic areas of interest, gain insights into disruptive technologies, complement and enhance current Rockwell offerings, and hedge the company's inorganic acquisition priorities. They partner with and invest in emerging startups that can deliver significant strategic and economic value to Rockwell and its customers, particularly those with strong cultural alignment, profitable growth, and technologies that directly address customer needs in specific verticals like life sciences, food and beverage, automotive/EV, and energy. They prioritize companies that can seamlessly integrate with or enhance Rockwell's existing hardware and software ecosystems.

Stage

Seed, Series A, Series B+

Sectors

Cybersecurity, Deeptech, AI, SaaS, Healthcare, Climate

Based

Milwaukee, US