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Ati Motors announced a $20 million increase on Wednesday. The funding comes as the India-based autonomous mobile robots (AMR) startup looks to expand globally. The company hopes to capitalize on growing demand for local manufacturing in the US, India and Southeast Asian countries as countries seek to reduce their dependence on China.
In 2023, IT Ministry of India he suggested A nationwide policy called National Strategy on Robotics to position the South Asian country as a global leader in robotics by 2030. ranks as the seventh largest robot marketAccording to the International Federation of Robotics, 8,500 units in 2023, with a 59% year-over-year increase in industrial robotics installations. However, it still lags far behind China, Japan and the United States
“Our competitor is always the status quo, not really another robot,” Ati Motors founder and CEO Saurabh Chandra said in an interview. “Usually, we change the mechanical operation, or someone driving a car, or often someone pushing it with their hands.”
The 7-year-old startup, which has a manufacturing and R&D facility in Bengaluru, has developed seven different robots, two of which are currently in testing and will be launched this quarter. Robots can move carts, boxes and pallets in a factory or warehouse.
Ati Motors’ robots come with 3D lidar sensors and are spatially aware. This allows these robots to work even in difficult conditions where harsh weather, including rain, can affect production. Chandra told TechCrunch that the robots can also navigate different floor conditions and even handle gradients, cracks or oil spills in their path.
“We do the full stack ourselves,” he said. “That was our USP that we could do complete multi-disciplinary engineering.”
Ati Motors has in-house designed the software and hardware for its robots, including sensor-fusion algorithms. Like many others in the space, the company relies on Nvidia’s Jetson platform for edge computing. It also offers custom fleet management software that can work with other companies’ mobile robots to ensure customer interoperability.
“The future is such that millions of robots will enter factories. No company will produce millions of robots on its own. And should we want to play with other people from day one? Yes,” said Chandra.
Founded in February 2017, Ati Motors began its journey with a towing robot. However, based on customer feedback and demand, it expanded into pallet trucks and hoists.
The startup offers a robots-as-a-service (RaaS) model for companies to rent out their AMRs. Customers can purchase systems directly.
Ati Motors says it has deployed “hundreds” of Sherpa robots across 40 manufacturers as customers, including Airbus, Ceat Tyres, Forvia, Hyundai, Samsung and TVS Motor. 80% of its total customer base is in the automotive sector and the US dominates its revenue. That’s why the startup plans to expand its North American presence in Detroit.
The overall Series B financing was led by Walden Catalyst Ventures and NGP Capital. It also featured existing investors including True Ventures, Exfinity Venture Partners, Athera Venture Partners and Blume Ventures.
