The rise and fall of Roomba

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In 2021, Roomba wasn’t just a robot vacuum — it was the robot vacuum. The company behind it, iRobot, was worth over $4 billion and dominated more than half of the global robot vacuum market. Just four years later, the company filed for bankruptcy. So what went wrong?

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This video breaks down the rise and fall of Roomba, from its MIT origins and early dominance to the brutal realities of global competition, missed innovation cycles, and regulatory roadblocks. You’ll see how Chinese competitors outpaced Roomba on price and technology, how the Amazon acquisition collapsed, and how crushing debt finished the job.

This isn’t just a story about a vacuum cleaner — it’s a case study in capitalism, innovation, and how fast market leaders can fall if they stop adapting. If you care about investing, tech history, or business strategy, this is a story you don’t want to miss.

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