The U.S. company that popularized robot vacuums has filed for bankruptcy. iRobot, maker of the Roomba, filed after struggling with heavy debt, competition from lower‑priced foreign rivals and new import costs tied to tariffs. The company is being taken over by its primary manufacturer, Shenzhen Picea Robotics, which has said owners’ devices will continue to operate as usual.
Most Roombas are assembled in Vietnam, exposing iRobot to import fees under recent U.S. trade policy. In its bankruptcy filing, iRobot reported $3.4 million owed to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for unpaid tariffs and nearly $100 million owed to Shenzhen Picea Robotics, the supplier arranging the takeover.
Founded in 1990 by MIT researchers, iRobot originally built devices for the U.S. military, explored the Great Pyramid of Giza and tracked oil spills before introducing consumer products such as the Roomba and robotic pool cleaners. In recent years, the company’s financial position weakened as cheaper smart vacuums from overseas competitors gained market share.
A proposed $1.4 billion acquisition by Amazon unraveled last year amid regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe, leaving iRobot with a $200 million loan it had taken on during the merger review. Throughout the year the company lost money; in its most recent quarter it reported a 33% decline in U.S. revenue and had warned in March that bankruptcy was possible because of weak consumer demand, competition and tariff pressures.
Under the bankruptcy plan, iRobot will go private and become part of Picea. The Chinese firm produces competing household devices under its own 3i brand and lists other brands it manufactures for, including Shark and Anker (maker of Eufy vacuums).