iRobot CEO Discusses Company’s Struggles and Future

iRobot’s Roomba used to be the most popular name in the world of robot vacuums. In fact, many people still refer to any robot vacuum as a Roomba. But how did this once-mighty company fall so hard that it had to file for bankruptcy? They were rescued by Picea, a Chinese contract manufacturer. Recently, I had a conversation with Gary Cohen, the new CEO of iRobot, just after the news of the company’s takeover by Picea.

Cohen joined iRobot about 18 months ago and is now leading efforts to turn the company around. In our discussion, he made it clear that iRobot’s problems can’t just be blamed on the failed Amazon deal or the chaotic tariffs, even though those factors certainly played a role.

A History of Problems

Colin Angle, iRobot’s co-founder and former CEO, expressed his disappointment over the takeover by Picea. He claimed that the failure of the Amazon acquisition led to the company’s troubles. While Cohen acknowledges that the Amazon deal was a significant setback, he believes the root issues go back much further.

“The Amazon deal was tough for us, but we had many years of issues that led to where we are now,” Cohen explained. He recognizes that his predecessor had a grand vision for connected homes using advanced camera technology. However, the execution was lacking. “We simply couldn’t follow through on those ideas effectively.”

When Cohen stepped in, he faced immediate challenges. “I found that we had many high fixed-cost contracts and products that were over-engineered,” he added. At that time, practically all design and engineering took place in the United States, with only final assembly happening overseas. This made the entire process very expensive.

So, what did Cohen decide to do? He and his team made the bold move to scrap the old product line entirely and develop a new, more cost-effective approach. Under his leadership, iRobot started cooperating more closely with Picea—the very company that now owns them. Unlike before, when Picea was involved only at the end of production to assemble the products, the partnership now allows for integrated development. Cohen emphasized, “Picea is now part of our engineering development, tooling, and even testing.”

This shift, although not enough to save the company from being sold, set a more financially viable path ahead and strengthened the relationship with Picea.

High Costs and Low Satisfaction

The high expenses weren’t the only problem; customer satisfaction was also lacking. “Our products weren’t competitive enough,” Cohen shared. “We weren’t able to create excitement among consumers.”

He believed that if he had joined the company sooner, he would have focused on understanding customer needs right from the start. For instance, when consumers expressed a desire for combined mops and vacuums, the iRobot team insisted on developing the best individual products. “In the end, consumers didn’t want that. We lost market opportunities because we didn’t listen closely enough to them,” Cohen lamented.

Similarly, iRobot failed to pioneer a multifunctional dock that could not only empty the dustbin but also refill water tanks and clean mop pads. It wasn’t until 2024 that they launched the Roomba Combo 10 Max, which Cohen himself admits wasn’t competitive enough. “We were losing our presence in Europe as a result of these missed opportunities,” he reflected.

Turmoil from Tariffs

External factors like tariff changes affected the company as well. Cohen revealed that in early 2025, many companies interested in acquiring iRobot backed off due to the uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariff policies. “We did get one interested buyer, but they couldn’t agree with our main lender, Carlisle, so that deal fell through.”

Faced with the risk of bankruptcy, Cohen took decisive action. “I didn’t want the company to close down. I had too much at stake, including the employees,” he said. So, he approached Picea, leading to their eventual acquisition.

A Positive Future Ahead

Now that Picea is in charge, what does the future hold for iRobot? According to Cohen, it’s “business as usual” for now, with new products set to launch in Europe in spring 2026. He is optimistic that the company will adopt a more consumer-focused strategy, making robot vacuums easier to access for everyone.

The journey has been challenging, but with new leadership and a fresh approach, iRobot hopes to rise again.

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