Clearpath Robotics and OTTO Motors Company Profile: History, Ownership and Products
Updated: 7 days ago
Clearpath Robotics is a Canadian maker of mobile robots, known for its research platforms and for OTTO Motors, its line of autonomous vehicles for factories. Four University of Waterloo graduates founded it in 2009, and Rockwell Automation acquired it in 2023 in a deal valued at more than USD 600 million. This profile sets out its history, ownership and products.
Clearpath and OTTO at a Glance
Fact | Detail |
Company | Clearpath Robotics, Inc. |
Founded | June 2009 |
Founders | Matthew Rendall, Ryan Gariepy, Pat Martinson and Bryan Webb |
Headquarters | Kitchener, Ontario, Canada |
Divisions | Clearpath research robots and OTTO Motors industrial vehicles |
Owner | Rockwell Automation, since 2023 |
Stock listing | None of its own; Rockwell Automation is listed in New York (ROK) |
Company History
The four founders met at the University of Waterloo and started the company in 2009 to build robot platforms for researchers. They raised only a small amount of angel money at first and aimed to be profitable before seeking more. Clearpath became closely tied to the open-source Robot Operating System: Ryan Gariepy joined the founding board of the Open Source Robotics Foundation in 2012, and after Willow Garage closed in 2014 Clearpath took over support of its PR2 robot. In August 2014 it became the first robotics company to pledge not to build weaponized robots.
The industrial business began in 2015, when the first OTTO vehicle was launched with General Electric as first customer and strategic investor. The full OTTO brand followed in 2016, with John Deere and Toyota also named as customers. A trademark dispute with the self-driving truck startup Otto ended in 2017, when the case was dismissed and Uber, Otto's owner, stopped using the name.
Key milestones
2009: Founded in Ontario.
2014: Takes over PR2 support; pledge against weaponized robots.
2015: Series A of USD 14 million led by RRE Ventures; first OTTO vehicle.
2016: OTTO brand announced; Series B led by iNovia Capital, with Caterpillar as strategic investor.
2017: Trademark dispute over the OTTO name resolved.
2023: Acquired by Rockwell Automation.
Ownership
Rockwell Automation, the American industrial automation company based in Milwaukee, bought Clearpath in a deal announced in September 2023 and valued at more than USD 600 million. The purchase gave Rockwell autonomous material transport to add to its factory control products. Before the sale Clearpath was backed by venture investors and by the strategic investors General Electric and Caterpillar.
Products
Line | Description |
OTTO autonomous mobile robots | Self-driving vehicles that move materials inside factories and warehouses |
Jackal | Small unmanned ground vehicle for research |
Research vehicles | Land and sea robot platforms for universities and corporate labs |
TurtleBot | Open-source research and education robot, the newest version made with Open Robotics and iRobot |
Services | Custom robot integration and ROS consulting |
OTTO product reviews on All Things Cobots
Leadership
Name | Role |
Matthew Rendall | Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer |
Ryan Gariepy | Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer |
Bryan Webb | Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer |
These are the roles listed for the founders; the company now operates within Rockwell Automation.
Can You Invest in Clearpath or OTTO Motors?
Not directly. Both are part of Rockwell Automation, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ROK. This is general information, not investment advice.
Strengths and Challenges
Strengths
A strong reputation in the robotics research community.
Industrial customers of the caliber of GE, John Deere and Toyota.
The sales reach of Rockwell Automation.
Challenges
Integration into a much larger parent.
A crowded market for factory mobile robots.
Current Catalogue Coverage
Catalogue checked on 15 October 2026: 5 associated product records. The links below are representative entries, rather than a claim that every historical model is currently available.
Clearpath and OTTO FAQ
Who owns Clearpath Robotics and OTTO Motors?
Rockwell Automation, which acquired the company in 2023.
How much did Rockwell pay for Clearpath?
The deal was valued at more than USD 600 million.
Who founded Clearpath Robotics?
Matthew Rendall, Ryan Gariepy, Pat Martinson and Bryan Webb, in 2009.
What is OTTO Motors?
Clearpath's industrial division, which makes autonomous mobile robots for moving materials in factories and warehouses.
Where is Clearpath Robotics based?
In Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
Sources
Wikipedia: Clearpath Robotics
