Ati Motors Secures $20 Million in Series B Funding to Advance AI-Powered Industrial Automation

Ati Motors Nets $20 Mn To Power Industrial Automation With AI

The fresh proceeds will also accelerate development and deployment of its robotic workforce, leveraging one of the largest factory datasets for autonomous movement Bengaluru-based industrial robotics startup Ati Motors has raised $20 Mn (INR 172.7 Cr) in a Series B funding round co-led by Walden Catalyst Ventures (WCV) and NGP Capital (NGP). The round also saw participation from existing investors, including True Ventures, Exfinity Venture Partners, Athera Venture Partners and Blume Ventures. The company plans to use the fresh capital to boost product development and expand its market presence in North America and APAC. Recently, the company set up operations in Mexico and has bolstered its presence across the US, India, and Southeast Asia. Additionally, it is currently expanding its North American headquarters in Detroit, MI. Saurabh Chandra, cofounder and CEO of Ati Motors, said, "This funding will accelerate our ability to leverage our extensive real-world dataset to develop next-generation AI models and further advance our industrial autonomy platform." Founded in 2017 by Saurabh Chandra, Ati Motors is an autonomous mobile robot manufacturer that helps manufacturers in various sectors optimise productivity and streamline operations by deploying its robotics technology. The startup, which has focused on the automobile sector so far, counts the likes of TVS Motor, CEAT, and Hyundai among its clients. Ati Motors specialises in robotics, AI, and manufacturing. It has deployed a host of Sherpa robots across 40 leading manufacturers, including Forvia and Hyundai, with multiple scaled deployments in North America. The fresh proceeds will also accelerate development and deployment of its robotic workforce, leveraging one of the largest factory datasets for autonomous movement. The startup raised $17 Mn in funding prior to this round. In 2023, the Bengaluru-based startup raised $10.85 Mn in its Series A funding round led by Silicon Valley-based venture capitalist (VC) True Ventures. In 2021, it secured $3.5 Mn in a Pre-Series A round. Before that, it raised seed funding from Village Global, a US-based early-stage VC backed by notable investors such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos.

Industrial robotics startup Ati Motors raises $20 million in Series B funding

Autonomous industrial robotics startup Ati Motors has raised $20 million in a Series B funding round led by Walden Catalyst Ventures and NGP Capital. Existing investors, including True Ventures, Exfinity Venture Partners, Athera Venture Partners, and Blume Ventures, also participated in the round. The Bengaluru-based company plans to utilise the fresh capital to accelerate product development and expand its footprint into new geographies. This funding round follows a $10.85 million Series A investment in July 2023, led by True Ventures. "With this funding, we want to expand our product portfolio and go deeper into the markets where we are already seeing great traction, such as the US, Mexico, India, Thailand, and Singapore... Also, I think we have the best datasets on the physical AI side from factories, and we want to ensure we're developing next-generation AI models while delivering excellent value to our customers," Saurabh Chandra, founder and CEO of Ati Motors told ET. Ati Motors claims to have deployed hundreds of its flagship Sherpa Tug robots across 40 leading manufacturers, including Forvia and Hyundai, with several large-scale deployments in North America. The Sherpa Tug is engineered to attach to factory trolleys, tow multiple loads indoors and outdoors, and handle payloads of up to three tonnes. Designed to be waterproof, the robot has covered over 500,000 kilometres in diverse factory environments. Besides Sherpa Tug, Ati Motors offers products such as bin movers, pallet movers, and lifting platforms, catering to diverse industrial use cases. To support its global expansion, Ati Motors has recently established operations in Mexico and strengthened its presence across the US, India, and Southeast Asia. The company is currently expanding its North American headquarters in Detroit. Ati Motors' robots integrate artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, and advanced hardware to perform complex tasks in dynamic environments, particularly on factory floors. While its products are applicable across various industries, the company has focused on serving the automotive, electrical, appliance, and aerospace sectors. According to Chandra, manufacturers globally are keen to integrate autonomous robots into their workforce, as fewer people are willing to take on dull, dirty, and dangerous jobs. However, adoption has been limited due to the lack of robots capable of matching human performance in real-world scenarios -- a gap Ati Motors aims to bridge. Previously, Ati Motors raised $3.5 million in a pre-Series A round led by Blume Ventures, Exfinity Venture Partners, and MFV Partners in 2021. The company also received seed funding from Village Global, a California-based early-stage fund backed by the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos. The funding comes amid growing demand for AI and robotics across industries such as manufacturing and logistics. In October 2024, Pune-based robotics startup Haber raised $38 million in a funding round led by private equity firm Creaegis, with participation from Accel India and BeeNext Capital. Similarly, Hyderabad-based Perceptyne raised $3 million in seed funding in 2024, co-led by Endiya Partners and Yali Capital. "Ati Motors represents the future of industrial automation," said Shankar Chandran, partner at Walden Catalyst Ventures. "Their unique combination of advanced AI capabilities and robotics, along with a deep understanding of manufacturing environments, positions them perfectly to lead the next wave of industrial automation.

Robotics Startup Ati Motors Raises $20 Million in Series B Funding

Bengaluru-based industrial robotics startup Ati Motors has secured $20 million in a Series B funding round led by Walden Catalyst Ventures and NGP Capital. This investment brings the company's total funding to over $37 million. The funding round also saw participation from existing investors True Ventures, Exfinity Venture Partners, Athera Venture Partners, and Blume Ventures. The company claimed that the funding would support product development and geographic expansion. The previous investments follow a $3.5 million pre-Series A funding round led by Blume Ventures and Exfinity Venture Partners, among others and a $10.85 million Series A round led by True Ventures in July 2023. Commenting on the funding, Saurabh Chandra, founder and CEO of Ati Motors, expressed on LinkedIn, "The future is clear: Gen Z is rejecting dull, dirty, and dangerous jobs. Millions of robots will soon free humans from robotic work, enabling them to focus on creativity and innovation." He also highlighted that the company aims to expand its range of products while deepening its presence in established markets such as the US, Mexico, India, Thailand, and Singapore. The company is also prioritising the development of advanced AI models to better serve its customers. "Recently, one of the major European truck manufacturers adopted our fleet management software to oversee all robots in its factory. We are now capable of managing multi-vendor robots in our software workflows," Chandra added. Ati Motors has deployed its Sherpa Tug robots in over 40 manufacturing facilities, including those of Forvia and Hyundai, and has significant operations in North America. Over 30% of the company's client portfolio comprises Fortune 500 companies. These robots, capable of towing loads of up to three tonnes, have collectively covered over 5 lakh kilometres in diverse factory environments. The company also offers bin movers, pallet movers, and lifting platforms to cater to various industrial needs. As part of its global strategy, Ati Motors recently established operations in Mexico and expanded its North American headquarters in Detroit. Its robots integrate AI, computer vision, and advanced hardware, serving industries such as automotive, electrical, appliance, and aerospace. The company plans to scale its robot deployments from the three-digit range to the four-digit range within two years and strengthen its presence in North America and the Asia-Pacific region. Chandra pointed out that shifting manufacturing patterns under the 'China plus one' strategy is creating significant opportunities, particularly in North America, where workforce shortages for routine goods movement persist. Chandra noted that manufacturers are increasingly adopting robotics to address workforce shortages in hazardous and repetitive tasks, but many existing solutions fail to match human performance in real-world settings, which is an issue Ati Motors seeks to address. Since its inception, Ati Motors has raised $34.35 million across multiple funding rounds. Its backers include Village Global, an early-stage fund supported by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos. This funding surge reflects the growing demand for AI and robotics in manufacturing and logistics. In October 2024, Pune-based Haber raised $38 million, while Hyderabad-based Perceptyne secured $3 million, highlighting the sector's momentum. Investors have also expressed optimism about Ati Motors' trajectory. "Ati Motors' unique combination of advanced AI capabilities and robotics, along with a deep understanding of manufacturing environments, positions them perfectly to lead the next wave of industrial automation," Walden Catalyst Ventures' partner Shankar Chandran said. Since its inception, Ati Motors has focused on manufacturing automation inspired by self-driving cars. It integrates AI, computer vision, and advanced robotics to tackle real-world challenges on factory floors. Meanwhile, Upal Basu, partner at NGP Capital, said, "The company's ability to successfully deploy fully autonomous mobile robots across diverse industrial environments, combined with their rapidly growing customer base, makes them a standout in the industrial automation space."