Roomba maker iRobot swept into bankruptcy

In recent years, it has faced competition from cheaper Chinese rivals, including Picea, putting pressure on sales and forcing iRobot to reduce headcount. A management shake-up in early 2024 saw the departure of its co-founder as chief executive.

Amazon proposed buying the company in 2023, seeing synergy with its Alexa-powered smart speakers and Ring doorbells.

EU regulators, however, pushed back on the deal, raising concerns it would lead to reduced visibility for rival vacuum…