Gravis Robotics

Company	Gravis Robotics
Tagline	Retrofit autonomy systems for heavy construction machinery, turning excavators into robotic teammates.
Headquarters	Zürich, Switzerland
Founded	2022
Stage	Seed
Business Model	Hardware + Software
Industry	Deeptech
Technology	Robotics
Geography	Global / Remote-First
Growth Profile	Venture Scale
Founding Team	Academic Spinout
Funding Label	Series A (total disclosed ~$23,210,000)

Links

• Website: https://www.gravisrobotics.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gravisrobotics

The Short Version

Gravis Robotics is a Swiss deeptech startup commercializing a retrofit autonomy system for heavy construction equipment. Spun out of ETH Zurich's Robotic Systems Lab in 2022, the company leverages nearly a decade of academic research to convert standard excavators and loaders into semi- or fully autonomous units via its modular 'Gravis RACK' hardware and 'Copilot' software platform [ETH Zurich Robotic Systems Lab]. The founding team is composed of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from the same lab [Crunchbase]. The company's recent $23 million funding round, co-led by IQ Capital and Zacua Ventures with strategic participation from cement giant Holcim, is earmarked for a global rollout and team expansion [Gravis Robotics, Nov 2025]. Its systems are reportedly deployed across projects in seven countries, including quarry operations for Holcim and infrastructure work with Taylor Woodrow [Equipment Journal][New Civil Engineer, 2025].

Data Accuracy: GREEN -- Core company facts and funding confirmed by company press release and third-party publications. Team background corroborated by Crunchbase and LinkedIn. Deployment claims cited by industry press.

The Company in Brief

Gravis Robotics was founded in 2022 as a spin-off from the Robotic Systems Lab at ETH Zurich [ETH Zurich Robotic Systems Lab]. The company is headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, and has established a UK subsidiary, GRAVIS ROBOTICS LTD, incorporated on 3 December 2025 [Companies House, Dec 2025]. The founding team consists of four co-founders: Ryan Luke Johns (CEO), Dominic Jud (CTO), Marco Tranzatto (Team Lead), and Burak Cizmeci [Crunchbase].

The company's initial capital came from a $210,000 seed round in 2022, led by the ESA Business Incubation Centre Switzerland [CB Insights]. A significant milestone was reached in late 2025 with the announcement of a $23 million funding round co-led by IQ Capital and Zacua Ventures, with participation from strategic investors including Holcim [Gravis Robotics, Nov 2025].

Operational milestones include the commercial launch of its Gravis Copilot platform in the U.S. market and the reported deployment of its retrofit autonomy systems across projects in seven countries [Equipment Journal]. The company has publicly announced partnerships with Holcim for autonomous quarry operations and with Taylor Woodrow for construction projects [New Civil Engineer, 2025].

Data Accuracy: GREEN -- Founding date, headquarters, funding rounds, and key milestones are confirmed by multiple independent sources including Crunchbase, company press releases, and public filings.

What They Have Built

Gravis Robotics sells a hardware and software retrofit kit designed to give standard excavators and loaders the ability to operate autonomously. The company's core product, the Gravis RACK, is a modular hardware system that integrates a computing appliance, cameras, and LiDAR sensors [StartupHub.ai, 2025]. This package is paired with a proprietary tablet interface called Slate [StartupHub.ai, 2025]. The firm's go-to-market software layer, Gravis Copilot, is an autonomy-ready machine-guidance platform that provides real-time terrain visualization, excavation depth guidance, and human form recognition [Equipment Journal]. A key commercial claim is that a software upgrade can unlock fully autonomous tasks like trenching and truck loading [Equipment Journal].

The technology stack fuses sensor data from LiDAR, cameras, GNSS, and hydraulic feedback with online learning and control algorithms [Equipment Journal]. The company emphasizes a partnership with Hitachi Construction Machinery, noting the OEM's "open interfaces" have been key for its retrofit solutions [Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas, 2026].

Pricing for the system includes a promotional offer of $777 per week, contingent on a 36-month contract term for orders placed by May 30, 2026 [Gravis Robotics]. The company claims its systems deliver productivity gains of around 30% [Tech.eu, 2025].

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core product descriptions are corroborated by multiple trade publications, but specific performance claims and pricing originate from company materials.

Market Size and Demand

Metric	Value
Global Construction Equipment Market (2023)	$180B
Industrial Automation & Robotics Market (2030 Proj.)	$265B

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Market sizing figures are from third-party industry reports cited for analogous sectors. Specific TAM/SAM/SOM for retrofit construction autonomy is not publicly defined by the company or a major analyst firm.

Who Else Is Fighting for This

Company	Positioning	Stage / Funding	Notable Differentiator
Gravis Robotics	Retrofit autonomy platform for excavators/loaders; "Physical AI" with modular hardware.	Seed/Series A; ~$23.2M total disclosed.	ETH Zurich spinout; retrofit focus on existing fleet; partnership with Hitachi.
Built Robotics	Autonomous retrofit kits for dozers, excavators, and loaders.	Series C; $112M total raised.	Focus on North American earthmoving; proprietary hardware and software stack.
Dusty Robotics	Field layout robotics for construction floors; autonomous printing of building plans.	Series B; $69.3M total raised.	Specialization in pre-construction layout.
Bedrock Robotics	Autonomous robots for site preparation and material handling.	Seed; $8M raised.	Targets smaller, multi-purpose robots for site logistics.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Competitor funding and positioning sourced from Crunchbase; Gravis's differentiation claims are from company and partner materials.

Opportunity

Gravis Robotics targets a controlling share of the retrofit autonomy market for heavy earthmoving equipment. The company's wedge is a retrofit solution, bypassing the multi-year sales cycles and capital intensity of selling new autonomous machines. Systems are deployed in seven countries across infrastructure and materials projects, and the company has secured a strategic investment from Holcim [Equipment Journal] [Silicon Canals, 2025]. The partnership with Hitachi Construction Machinery suggests a path to OEM validation [Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas, 2026].

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- The core opportunity thesis is supported by cited deployments, partnerships, and product strategy. Specific valuation comparables and detailed market size projections are not confirmed by the company.

Sources

1. [ETH Zurich Robotic Systems Lab] Gravis Robotics Spinoff | https://rsl.ethz.ch/partnership/spinoff/gravisrobotics.html
2. [Crunchbase] Gravis Robotics - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding | https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/gravis-robotics
3. [Companies House, Dec 2025] GRAVIS ROBOTICS LTD incorporation | https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/16889711
4. [CB Insights] Gravis Robotics Company Profile | https://www.cbinsights.com/company/gravis-robotics
5. [Gravis Robotics, Nov 2025] Gravis Robotics accelerates global growth | https://www.gravisrobotics.com/press-release
6. [Equipment Journal] Gravis Robotics brings Physical AI to earthmoving | https://www.equipmentjournal.com/tech-news/gravis-robotics-brings-physical-ai-to-earthmoving/
7. [New Civil Engineer, 2025] Holcim partners with Gravis Robotics for autonomous quarry systems | https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/holcim-partners-with-gravis-robotics-for-autonomous-quarry-systems-03-12-2024/
8. [StartupHub.ai, 2025] Gravis Robotics: Autonomous Earthmoving Technology | https://startuphub.ai/gravis-robotics-autonomous-earthmoving-technology/
9. [CONEXPO-CON/AGG] Gravis Robotics Exhibitor Details | https://directory.conexpoconagg.com/8_0/exhibitor/exhibitor-details.cfm?exhid=1041472
10. [TFN, 2025] Gravis Robotics raises $23 million for autonomous earthmoving tech | https://techfundingnews.com/gravis-robotics-raises-23-million-for-autonomous-earthmoving-tech/
11. [Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas, 2026] Hitachi and Gravis Robotics Partnership | https://www.hcma.com/en/news/hitachi-and-gravis-robotics-partnership/
12. [Gravis Robotics] Gravis Robotics Conexpo Offer | https://www.gravisrobotics.com/777
13. [Tech.eu, 2025] Gravis Robotics raises $23M for autonomous construction robots | https://tech.eu/2025/02/12/gravis-robotics-raises-23m-for-autonomous-construction-robots/
14. [Silicon Canals, 2025] Gravis Robotics secures $23M to expand autonomous earthmoving tech | https://siliconcanals.com/news/startups/gravis-robotics-secures-23m/
15. [ESA BIC Switzerland] Gravis Robotics Startup Profile | https://commercialisation.esa.int/startups/gravis-robotics/
16. [Off-Highway Research, 2024] Global Construction Equipment Market Report | https://www.offhighwayresearch.com/
17. [Precedence Research, 2024] Industrial Automation Market Size Report | https://www.precedenceresearch.com/industrial-automation-market
18. [PitchBook, 2022] Built Robotics Valuation Data | https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/114081-10