Gravis Robotics Raises $200M Series A to Scale Autonomous Construction Machinery

Gravis Robotics Raises $200 Million Series A to Scale Construction Autonomy

Gravis Robotics has raised $200 million in Series A funding from SoftBank to scale its autonomous construction technology and bring physical AI to heavy machinery and jobsites worldwide.

The financing is described as the largest Series A in construction robotics history.

Founded in 2022 as an ETH Zurich spinout, Gravis Robotics develops software-defined intelligence that enables heavy construction equipment to operate with increasing levels of autonomy.

Building Physical AI for Construction

Construction remains one of the least automated major industries, despite growing demand for infrastructure, housing, energy networks and data centers.

Gravis Robotics is focused on applying AI to the unpredictable environments found on construction sites, where machines must actively reshape terrain rather than simply navigate around obstacles.

Its AI models are trained using simulated environments designed to represent different types of soil, terrain and machine behavior.

The company says this approach helps bridge the gap between simulated environments and real-world construction sites.

Autonomous Technology for Mixed Fleets

Gravis operates across different heavy-equipment manufacturers rather than requiring contractors to use a single machine brand.

Its Gravis Rack autonomous control kit has been installed across machinery from manufacturers including Caterpillar, Case, Develon, John Deere, JCB, Hitachi, Sumitomo, Yanmar and Volvo.

The company says its software can adapt to different machine sizes and configurations without requiring custom reprogramming for every machine.

The platform supports different levels of automation, ranging from AI-assisted manual operation to full autonomy.

Gravis Copilot provides operators with real-time 3D guidance and hazard detection, while fully autonomous operation allows operators to supervise multiple robotic machines.

Improving Productivity and Safety

Gravis says its technology can deliver up to a 30% increase in jobsite productivity compared with peak manual operation while also improving overall worksite safety.

The company's autonomous machines can also act as continuous site sensors, supporting automated surveying and hazard mapping while construction work is underway.

Scaling Across Global Construction Markets

Gravis says its systems are already deployed with infrastructure leaders across four continents.

The company was also selected to lead an $8 million UK government-backed CAM Pathfinder project alongside Flannery Plant Hire.

The project will retrofit excavator fleets with Gravis Rack technology, providing contractors with access to autonomous construction machinery.

The company plans to use the new funding to accelerate its global rollout, expand its team and deploy its autonomous systems across more construction sites.

Building the Infrastructure Behind the AI Economy

Gravis is targeting a construction industry facing increasing pressure from labor shortages and growing infrastructure demand.

As governments and businesses invest in energy grids, data centers, housing and transportation infrastructure, the company is betting that autonomous heavy machinery can help address one of the industry's biggest bottlenecks: moving and shaping the physical world.

SoftBank's investment gives Gravis significant capital to scale its physical AI technology and pursue its goal of bringing autonomous construction equipment to major jobsites globally.