iRobot Under New Owner: 3i Dropped to Propel Roomba Forward

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A few weeks after the company was delisted and acquired by Picea Robotics, a pronounced strategic U-turn is taking shape. The new Chinese-backed owner is discarding its own brand to concentrate all engineering and marketing bandwidth on iRobot?s U.S. flagship, Roomba, with the aim of strengthening the traditional line?s competitive edge. The operation remains anchored in the United States, with the Bedford, Massachusetts headquarters continuing to guide product development and customer support.

On Thursday, Picea Robotics announced the decision to discontinue its in-house vacuum-robot brand ?3i.? The move comes just a little over a month after the takeover closed on January 23. The objective is to consolidate global engineering and marketing resources behind Roomba.

Market observers interpret the move as an effort to reduce internal competition and maximize the enduring brand equity of iRobot. Despite the ownership change, the firm?s executive team remains based in the United States, with the Bedford, Massachusetts headquarters continuing to oversee product development and customer support.

• Action: Discontinuation of Picea?s ?3i? brand in favor of Roomba
• Timing: Announcement made on Thursday, February 12
• Status: iRobot now operates as a private subsidiary
• Data protection: Establishment of the U.S. subsidiary ?iRobot Safe?

A Turbulent Prelude

This consolidation marks the near-term culmination of a difficult restructuring phase. After a planned Amazon acquisition in 2024 fell through and sales declined, iRobot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2025.

With the sale to Picea Robotics, the company left the public markets, and its publicly traded shares were canceled as part of privatization. To address regulatory concerns, the subsidiary ?iRobot Safe? was created, operating under an independent board to safeguard customer data.

By scrapping its own brand, Picea Robotics is placing all bets on Roomba. The investment?s success will depend on Roomba?s ability to regain former market strength without internal competition and with all resources focused on a single product line.