Konnex announced it has raised $15 million from a group of strategic backers to expand a platform designed to turn autonomous robotic work into a standardized, app-like service that can be contracted, verified, and paid for in real time. The round included participation from venture firms Cogitent Ventures, Liquid Capital, Leland Ventures, Covey, M77 Ventures, and Block Maven.
The company, which describes its mission as unlocking the $25 trillion physical labor economy, said the new capital will accelerate efforts to move autonomous robots out of closed, proprietary deployments and into a more interoperable ecosystem that supports multiple hardware providers and use cases.
At the core of the company’s pitch is a “Robotics-as-a-Service” framework that treats autonomous labor as something that can be provisioned and scaled with software-like flexibility. Konnex said its approach combines contracting with verification protocols intended to support safe and efficient operation in real-world environments, alongside instant payment rails tied to on-chain validation.
The company said it is led by executives and advisors with backgrounds in robotics, drones, and capital markets. CEO Jon Ollwerther was described as a “40 Under 40” honoree with more than 15 years of experience across robotics and media, including commercial leadership roles at Measure and Aerobo, and a board seat at The Stan Lee Foundation. Konnex also highlighted support from Brandon Torres Declet, CEO of Exyn Technologies and co-founder of ReadyMonitor, and Lucas Van Oostrum, described as a multi-robot coordination specialist who co-founded Nova Sky Stories with Kimbal Musk and co-launched the €100 million RoboValley Fund.
Konnex said the proceeds will be used to expand the platform, add integrations with new hardware partners, and continue developing verification protocols for autonomous systems operating in physical environments.
KEY QUOTE:
“Physical work is a $25 trillion economy currently trapped in closed systems. With the support of our partners, Konnex is building the key to unlock that value. We are creating a world where autonomous robots work like apps—contracted, verified, and paid—to provide the scalable labor the world desperately needs.”
Jon Ollwerther, CEO, Konnex
