Gravis Robotics, a Swiss robotics startup, has recently secured a $200 million Series A funding round from Japan’s SoftBank Group, making it the largest Series A financing in the construction robotics sector to date. The company now boasts a post-money valuation of approximately $1 billion, establishing itself as Europe’s newest robotics unicorn.
Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from ETH Zurich, Gravis Robotics operates under the leadership of co-founders and executives Ryan Luke Johns and Dominic Jud, alongside robotics professor Marco Hutter. The company distinguishes itself by retrofitting existing excavators and earthmoving machines with its proprietary technology, such as the Gravis Rack, a comprehensive kit comprising sensors, computing hardware, and software.
The company’s innovative approach involves training models in simulation environments and applying them to real-world construction sites. Unlike conventional autonomous equipment, Gravis Robotics’ solutions actively adapt to changing soil conditions and hydraulic resistance during excavation processes. The software suite offers various operation modes, ranging from copilot assistance to full autonomous operation, enhancing tasks like driving, trenching, and bulk excavation, potentially increasing productivity by up to 30%.
Gravis Robotics has successfully deployed its systems across four continents, collaborating with industry giants like Holcim and Hyundai, as well as government-sponsored initiatives such as the CAM Pathfinder project in the UK. The recent funding injection will fuel the company’s expansion into new markets, recruitment efforts, and scaling up the deployment of autonomous machines in commercial operations.
The investment from SoftBank aligns with the conglomerate’s strategic pivot towards robotics and physical artificial intelligence (AI). In addition to its stake in Gravis Robotics, SoftBank is consolidating its robotics portfolio under Robo HD, acquiring ABB’s industrial robotics division, and planning a new AI and robotics venture, Roze. This move underscores the growing interest and investments in the advancing field of robotics technology.
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