Gravis Robotics has raised $200 million in Series A funding from SoftBank to scale its autonomous heavy machinery technology across construction sites worldwide. The company, spun out of ETH Zurich in 2022, develops physical AI systems that bring software-defined intelligence to excavators and other heavy equipment, addressing labor shortages and the industry's low automation rate.
Key takeaways
- Gravis Rack, an autonomous control kit, is compatible with machinery from Caterpillar, Case, Develon, John Deere, JCB, Hitachi, Sumitomo, Yanmar, and Volvo, supporting mixed fleets without custom reprogramming.
- AI models trained in large-scale simulation handle unpredictable ground conditions, with the world model incorporating machine telemetry for microsecond-level responses.
- Systems claim up to 30% productivity gains over peak manual operation, with automation levels from AI-assisted (Gravis Copilot) to full autonomy, enabling remote supervision and continuous site surveying.
- Deployments span four continents; Gravis will lead an $8 million UK government-backed project with Flannery Plant Hire to retrofit excavators and support the UK's infrastructure pipeline.
The funding will accelerate international deployment and integration into existing fleets, positioning Gravis to address the growing demand for energy networks, data centers, housing, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2026-08-17 · “Gravis Robotics raises $200 million to scale its construction robotics business”