Heavy machinery is finally getting a brain transplant.
Swiss startup Gravis Robotics just secured $23 million to turn standard excavators into autonomous robots that “feel” the soil. This massive funding round promises to solve the construction industry’s toughest labor and safety crises. Investors are betting big on a future where one operator controls multiple machines from a safe distance.
Major Funding Fuels Global Expansion
This is a significant financial milestone for the autonomous construction sector.
Gravis Robotics announced the closing of a $23 million Series A funding round. The investment was co led by IQ Capital and Zacua Ventures. This injection of capital demonstrates high confidence in the startup’s unique approach to automation.
A diverse group of heavyweights joined the round to support this vision.
The investor list includes Pear VC and Imad. Imad is the corporate venture arm of Nesma & Partners. Other participants include Sunna Ventures and Armada Investment. Holcim also joined the round to show strategic support from the building materials sector.
This money will fuel rapid growth across international markets.
Gravis plans to use these funds to expand its engineering team and scale hardware production. They are already active in seven countries. This includes operations in the UK, Europe, the United States and parts of Latin America.
autonomous excavator retrofit kit digging trench construction site
Turning Old Machines into Smart Robots
The technology is not about building new machines from scratch.
Gravis has developed a retrofit kit that attaches to existing excavators. This allows construction companies to upgrade their current fleets without buying brand new vehicles. It is a smart move that lowers the barrier to entry for many contractors.
The Gravis system relies on a sophisticated sensor suite:
- LiDAR Scanners: These map the terrain in 3D to spot obstacles.
- Computer Vision: Cameras interpret the site conditions in real time.
- Hydraulic Sensors: These provide feedback on digging resistance.
- GNSS Positioning: This ensures the machine knows exactly where it is.
The secret sauce is how the machine interacts with the ground.
Most robots struggle with the unpredictability of dirt and rocks. Gravis uses a learning based control system that adapts to the environment. It “feels” the soil resistance through the hydraulics just like a human operator would.
Operators manage the workflow through “Gravis Slate.”
This is a tablet interface that fits into the cab or operates remotely. It allows for a seamless switch between fully autonomous work and manual control. This keeps the human in the loop for complex decisions while automating the repetitive digging tasks.
Addressing the Critical Labor Shortage
The construction industry is facing a demographic ticking time bomb.
Demand for infrastructure is skyrocketing globally. Yet the workforce is ageing rapidly and retiring. Young people are not entering the trade fast enough to replace them.
Gravis Robotics CEO Ryan Luke Johns highlighted this specific issue:
“By giving operators real-time 3D intelligence and the ability to shift seamlessly between autonomy and augmented control, we cover more of the work, accelerate adoption, and create the data pipeline needed to learn new capabilities from the industry’s hardest jobs.”
Automation offers a way to do more with fewer people.
The startup claims its technology boosts output by roughly 30 percent. This efficiency gain is massive for projects running on tight margins. It allows a single skilled operator to oversee multiple machines digging trenches or grading land.
Safety is another major selling point for this technology.
Construction sites are dangerous places. Removing operators from the cab keeps them away from potential collapses or accidents. It transforms a physically demanding job into a tech focused role that appeals to younger workers.
Real World Success at Major Sites
This technology is already getting its boots dirty.
Gravis is not just a research project stuck in a lab at ETH Zurich. The systems are currently deployed on active construction sites. Major contractors are testing the limits of what these robots can do.
Taylor Woodrow recently deployed the system at Manchester Airport.
This project marked the first large scale use of autonomous excavation in the United Kingdom. It served as a proving ground for the technology in a high pressure environment. The robots handled excavation tasks alongside human teams.
Partnerships are driving this adoption forward:
- Flannery: Partnering to offer turnkey excavators equipped with Gravis tech.
- Develon: Collaborating on dealer networks in the UK.
- Kibag: supporting distribution and rollout in Switzerland.
These collaborations are crucial for scaling up.
Contractors need reliable support and easy access to the technology. By working with established dealers and rental firms, Gravis ensures their tech can reach the job site quickly. It integrates autonomy into the existing supply chain rather than fighting against it.
The focus is now on “continuous learning” for the AI.
Every hour the machines operate creates valuable data. This data loop helps the system get smarter over time. It learns to handle new soil types and more complex digging maneuvers with every job it completes.
We are witnessing a fundamental shift in how we build our world. Gravis Robotics has the capital and the technology to lead this charge. The $23 million funding is just the fuel to ignite a much larger transformation in heavy industry. As these machines become smarter and safer, they will reshape the skyline and the workforce for generations to come.
We want to hear your thoughts on this shift. Do you think autonomous robots will solve the labor shortage or create new challenges for construction workers? Please share your opinion in the comments below and tag a friend in the industry using #ConstructionTech on social media.
