Levatas Raises $5.5M to Expand Visual Inspection Software for Robots, Drones
May 17, 2022
Levatas, which develops artificial intelligence software that enables drones, robots, remote sensors and fixed cameras to execute operational tasks at industrial sites, has announced it raised $5.5 million in a seed funding round.
The company said it will use the funding to grow its machine learning engineering team, expand into additional industries, and enable integration with a broader array of data capture hardware. Currently, Levatas’s platform and industrial AI models support greater efficiency for chip manufacturers, global automakers, oil refineries, energy producers, and one of the largest breweries in the U.S. Specific to each facility, Levatas builds and deploys fully operational models for analog gauge reading, thermal anomaly reporting, people identification, and detection of environmental changes over time. These tasks can then be executed daily with autonomous drones, robots, camera systems, and other visual collection devices, Levatas said.
“Our team lives and breathes the world of AI, but our core mission is all about people,” said Chris Nielsen, CEO and co-founder of Levatas. “We give machines the ability to handle the dirtiest, most repetitive, and dangerous tasks so that our clients’ human employees can focus on problem-solving, thoughtful execution, and company growth. Because we enable their machines to handle rigorous tasks, the organizations we serve can see demonstrable ROI, as measured by higher efficiency, more uptime, and safer workplaces.”
Levatas said its platform and inspection models with several visual-capture platforms, which range from fixed camera networks to more advanced drones and quadruped robots such as Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot.
“We’ve worked with Levatas on numerous projects and we’re continually impressed by what they bring to the table,” said Tim Dykstra, director of strategic partnerships and channel sales at Boston Dynamics. “Spot is an agile mobile robot that is particularly well-suited for industrial inspections, because it captures data in a standardized, repeatable way. The Levatas team develops machine learning models that enable the robot to respond to complex tasks based on visual data it collects, so together, we can continuously monitor industrial assets to predict failures earlier and prevent unplanned downtime.”
“The world of industrial robots and drones is accelerating at an astonishing rate, but what good are robots and industrial devices without automated intelligence to maximize their value?”, said Scott Smith, founding family member of Castellan Group, which led the funding round. “After meeting the Levatas team and seeing firsthand the value they are unlocking within their global customers, we quickly recognized their leadership in this category and we’re excited to watch them grow with our support.”
For more information on Levatas and its technology, visit its website here.
