Gravis Robotics has advanced its position in the rapidly evolving construction automation sector after securing $23 million in new funding and finalizing a series of global partnership agreements that broaden the company’s reach across the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, Latin America, and Asia. The Zurich-based company, founded in 2022 as a spinout from ETH Zurich, continues to strengthen its commercial momentum as major contractors, OEMs, and equipment rental providers adopt its learning based earthmoving autonomy platform.
The new funding round was co-led by IQ Capital and Zacua Ventures, with participation from Pear VC, Imad (the corporate venture capital arm of Nesma and Partners), Sunna Ventures, Armada Investment, and Holcim. Capital from the round will be used to accelerate international rollout, expand the company’s workforce, and deepen its expanding network of OEM, contractor, and dealer partnerships. Executives said the infusion positions Gravis to scale a global autonomy platform that brings measurable productivity improvements to one of the world’s largest industrial categories.
Gravis technology is already deployed with industry leaders across construction and quarry operations. Its systems are used for autonomous material handling, including stockpile management, truck loading, and site preparation. The company recently began operations at a Taylor Woodrow infrastructure project at Manchester Airport, marking the first large-scale use of autonomous excavation on an active United Kingdom construction site. Gravis has also partnered with Flannery, the country’s largest plant hire provider, to offer rental excavators equipped with the Gravis Rack, and has expanded OEM-integrated deployments through the dealer networks of its partners, including Develon in the United Kingdom and Kibag in Switzerland.
With active deployments now spanning seven countries, Gravis holds one of the broadest global footprints for autonomous excavation technology. The expansion into OEM channels and rental markets reflects a growing demand for autonomy at scale across earthmoving and mining, an industry valued at more than one point six trillion dollars. The company stated that the latest funding round now gives it the technical maturity, partnerships, and distribution channels required to lead an international rollout of true autonomy.
The company’s retrofit autonomy system is engineered to handle unpredictable site conditions through a learning-based control system that adapts to variable ground conditions using sensory data from hydraulics, LiDAR, cameras, and GNSS. This system works alongside Gravis Slate, a tablet interface that augments both autonomous and manual operations by providing continuous real-time intelligence. This feedback loop helps improve performance while supporting new autonomous capabilities.
As global construction faces rising demand, productivity constraints and an aging workforce, Gravis positions its technology as a means of supporting and enhancing human operators rather than replacing them. The company reports that its systems increase output by 30% while reducing rework and improving site safety. Momentum in Europe has been strong, benefiting from the region’s high operational standards, cross-border requirements, and strong international contracting presence. Gravis’ Zurich headquarters also allows the company to tap into one of the world’s leading robotics and automation ecosystems.
The company’s leadership team draws on deep experience across construction, advanced robotics and OEM operations. Co-founders Ryan Luke Johns and Dominic Jud bring a combination of architectural, robotic systems, and autonomous machinery expertise developed at ETH Zurich. They collaborate closely with co-founder and board member Marco Hutter, a prominent AI researcher and robotics entrepreneur.
KEY QUOTES
“The fastest path to autonomy is delivering productivity today. By giving operators real-time 3D intelligence and the ability to shift seamlessly between autonomy and augmented control, we cover more of the work, accelerate adoption, and create the data pipeline needed to learn new capabilities from the industry’s hardest jobs.”
Ryan Luke Johns, CEO and Co Founder, Gravis Robotics
“Gravis stands out, not just for its technical brilliance, but for how much it’s already achieved. The team’s thoughtful, grounded approach to autonomy – deploying real systems with real crews – has led to trusted partnerships with some of the largest global construction companies and OEMs and invaluable data from time-in-field. This huge and unserved market is ready now for autonomy and Gravis is setting the pace.”
Archie Muirhead, Partner, IQ Capital
“Gravis embodies the kind of innovation our industry has been waiting for: autonomy that truly works in the field. Built on deep ETH Zurich research and driven by a top-notch team, they’re already delivering productivity gains customers can feel. The enthusiasm from our global investor base of leading builders, operators, and equipment groups is the clearest validation of how transformative Gravis’s technology can be.”
Juan Nieto, General Partner, Zacua Ventures
“Construction faces major challenges, from attracting and retaining a skilled workforce to improving productivity. The industry has often been seen as slow to adopt new technologies. Working with Gravis Robotics, we’re changing that.”
Steffan Speer, Technical Director, Morgan Sindall Construction
“Digital automation and robotics are technologies Holcim has employed for many years to enhance our operational efficiency, productivity and safety. Gravis is a leader in its field, and we see significant opportunities to apply their solutions in our markets. We look forward to bringing its technology to market at scale.”
Bengt Steinbrecher, Head of Holcim Maqer Ventures, Holcim
“Innovation is really important to Taylor Woodrow because we have to become more productive, fundamentally it’s about making sure we remain relevant not just for today but for tomorrow and that’s why we have engaged with Gravis Robotics.”
Phil Skegg, Managing Director, Taylor Woodrow
