Gravis Robotics Raises $200M to Retrofit Construction Equipment with AI

Construction equipment gets an AI upgrade

Gravis Robotics has closed a $200 million Series A led by SoftBank, the largest funding round in construction robotics history. The investment values the Swiss startup at $1 billion and signals a major bet on retrofitting existing heavy machinery with artificial intelligence rather than building new autonomous equipment from scratch.

The company manufactures the Gravis Rack, a bolt-on control system that transforms conventional excavators, bulldozers, and other construction equipment into AI-assisted or remotely operated machines. According to details first reported by Forbes, the technology works with major brands including Caterpillar, John Deere, Volvo, JCB, and Hitachi.

Operators can choose from three modes: AI-assisted operation that provides real-time guidance, autonomous mode where machines execute predefined tasks independently, or remote supervision via video streams with optional manual override through joystick and pedal controls connected to a tablet.

How the technology works

Gravis CTO Dominic Jud explained that the system replicates how experienced operators interpret physical feedback. The AI processes machine telemetry alongside traditional cues like engine strain, vibration patterns, and hydraulic resistance to make operational decisions.

The company claims productivity improvements of up to 30% compared to peak manual operation, though real-world validation at scale remains to be demonstrated beyond existing pilot programs.

Why it matters

This funding reflects a strategic shift in how AI enters physical industries. Rather than waiting for manufacturers to develop autonomous equipment or requiring construction companies to replace entire fleets, retrofit solutions like Gravis offer a faster path to adoption. SoftBank's investment size—coming after it acquired ABB's robotics division for $5.375 billion last October—underscores the investor's conviction that "Physical AI" represents the next major AI frontier beyond software applications.

Competitive landscape and challenges

Gravis faces competition from SafeAI, which focuses primarily on mining applications, and Teleo, another provider of brand-agnostic supervised-autonomy retrofit systems. Equipment manufacturers are also developing proprietary autonomous capabilities, potentially limiting the addressable market for third-party solutions.

The company had previously raised $23 million in November led by IQ Capital and Zacua Ventures. Bloomberg reported in late July that SoftBank was considering an outright acquisition at over $500 million, but the parties settled on a minority stake at double that valuation.

SoftBank managing director Dai Sakata stated that Physical AI is central to the firm's vision for AI's next phase. The investor recently completed selling its stake in Boston Dynamics, effectively pivoting from a demonstration-focused robotics company toward industrial applications with existing deployment scale.

These details were first reported by John Koetsier at Forbes.