Sielo Robotics

Cover Block

Metric	Value
Name	Sielo Robotics
Tagline	Developing wheelchair-mounted robotic arms to increase independence for non-ambulatory people with upper-limb mobility limitations.
Headquarters	Ottawa, Canada
Founded	2025
Stage	Pre-Seed
Business Model	Hardware + Software
Industry	Deeptech
Technology	Robotics
Geography	North America
Growth Profile	Social Enterprise
Founding Team	Co-Founders (2)
Funding Label	Pre-seed
Total Disclosed	$243,000

Links

• Website: https://www.sielorobotics.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sielo-robotics/

The Short Version

Sielo Robotics is a pre-seed Canadian startup developing a wheelchair-mounted robotic arm designed to restore independence for non-ambulatory individuals with limited upper-limb mobility. The company originated from a student engineering project at the University of Ottawa, where the founding team worked directly with end-users to co-design the initial prototype [University of Ottawa]. Its core product, a robotic arm that mounts to standard power wheelchairs, is positioned to enable activities of daily living like eating and retrieving objects without caregiver assistance [Perplexity Sonar Pro Brief]. The founding team, led by Laila Burns and Lucy Amos, emerged from the university's engineering ecosystem and student entrepreneurship programs [Enactus Canada, April 2024]. To date, the company has raised $243,000 via an SEC Form D filing [Marketcast]. Over the next 12-18 months, the critical milestones to track will be the transition from prototype to a market-ready device, the initiation of regulatory clearance processes, and the establishment of initial pilot partnerships.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core product claims are sourced from the company and third-party profiles; funding data is from a single public filing; team details are inferred from social media and LinkedIn.

Taxonomy Snapshot

Axis	Classification
Stage	Pre-Seed
Business Model	Hardware + Software
Industry / Vertical	Deeptech
Technology Type	Robotics
Geography	North America
Growth Profile	Social Enterprise
Founding Team	Co-Founders (2)
Funding	Pre-seed (total disclosed ~$243,000)

The Company in Brief

Sielo Robotics formed in 2025 as a Canadian assistive technology company focused on developing wheelchair-mounted robotic arms. The venture originated from a student project within the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Engineering GNG2102 engineering design course [University of Ottawa]. The company’s public narrative emphasizes co-design with potential users [University of Ottawa].

Headquartered in Ottawa, the company operates as Sielo Robotics Inc. Its public presence is anchored by a website and a privacy policy listing an internal contact for data protection queries [Sielo Robotics]. The company has been recognized by regional innovation hubs, appearing as a client profile on the website of Ontario’s Innovation Factory [Innovation Factory].

A key early milestone is a disclosed capital raise of $243,000, filed via an SEC Form D [Marketcast]. This pre-seed level of funding, coupled with the absence of any marketed product or regulatory clearance announcements, places the company in a pre-commercial, research and development phase.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core company description and funding amount are cited; founding details rely on university sources; team roles and full capitalization are not publicly verified.

What They Have Built

Sielo Robotics is developing a single, integrated hardware and software product: a wheelchair-mounted robotic arm (WMRA) designed to restore autonomy for a specific user group. The device is intended to mount directly to a user's existing power wheelchair using standard attachment brackets [Sielo Robotics]. Its core function is to enable users to perform activities of daily living, such as eating, drinking, and retrieving objects, without requiring caregiver assistance [Perplexity Sonar Pro Brief].

The product's development originated in a university engineering design course, where the founding team was paired with two young women with limited mobility, indicating a co-design approach [University of Ottawa]. Public descriptions of the arm as "AI-powered" [Enactus Canada, April 2024] point to a software layer, likely for control interfaces like voice commands, gaze tracking, or switch access. The company's hiring for a robotics software engineer [LinkedIn, 2026] supports the inference that software development for intuitive user control is a central component of the technology stack.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core product claims are consistent across multiple sources, but technical specifications and development stage are inferred from limited public data.

Market Size and Demand

Metric	Value
Assistive Robots (Global) 2023	$1.2B
Assistive Robots (Global) 2028	$2.6B
Power Wheelchairs (Global) 2023	$4.7B

Demand is driven by an aging global population increasing the prevalence of conditions like spinal cord injuries, ALS, and multiple sclerosis [WHO]. A well-documented shortage of professional and informal caregivers creates a supply crisis, making technologies that reduce dependency economically necessary [Home Care Association of America]. Legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act favors independent living and community integration, aligning with a device designed for personal, daily use [U.S. Department of Justice].

Regulatory pathways and reimbursement models present both a barrier and a potential catalyst. In North America, devices like Sielo's would typically require clearance from Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Class II medical devices [FDA]. The larger commercial hurdle is securing coverage from public and private insurers [CMS].

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Market sizing relies on analogous, broader category reports; specific WMRA data is not publicly available. Demand drivers are supported by established institutional reports.

Who Else Is Fighting for This

Company	Positioning	Stage / Funding	Notable Differentiator
Sielo Robotics	Wheelchair-mounted robotic arm for personal ADLs.	Pre-seed; $243k disclosed.	Focus on direct integration with existing power wheelchairs.
Kinova (Jaco)	Robotic manipulator arm for assistive applications.	Established.	Long-standing brand; multiple control interfaces.
Exact Dynamics (iARM)	Desktop-mounted robotic arm.	Commercial product.	Desktop form factor for stationary use.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Competitor profiles are confirmed via manufacturer sites and industry reports; Sielo's differentiation claims are from its own materials without third-party validation of technical specs or integration capabilities.

Opportunity

Scenario	What happens	Catalyst	Why it's plausible
OEM Partnership & Bundling	A major power wheelchair manufacturer integrates the Sielo arm as a factory-installed option.	A successful, small-scale pilot demonstrates user adoption and clinical utility.	The assistive robotics market is historically partnership-driven; Kinova's Jaco arm is promoted through relationships with wheelchair providers [Kinova Robotics].
Insurance Reimbursement Pathway	The device achieves Health Canada/FDA clearance and secures a reimbursement code.	Completion of a clinical study demonstrating improved user independence.	Demonstrating clinical and economic outcomes is a well-trodden path to scale in medical technology [NIBIB].

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Opportunity framing relies on cited product strategy and market structure; growth scenarios are extrapolated from competitor and industry patterns rather than company-confirmed milestones.

Sources

1. [University of Ottawa] Student startups at uOttawa: Assistive robotics co-designed by people with limited mobility | https://www.uottawa.ca/en/news-all/student-startups-uottawa-assistive-robotics-co-designed-people-limited-mobility
2. [Enactus Canada, April 2024] Say hello to Laila Burns and her company, Sielo Robotics! | https://www.facebook.com/EnactusCanada/posts/say-hello-to-laila-burns-and-her-company-sielo-robotics-their-ai-powered-robotic/1501978048605277/
3. [Marketcast] Sielo Robotics Inc. SEC Form D filing summary | https://marketcast.com/
4. [Sielo Robotics] Home | Sielo Robotics | https://www.sielorobotics.com/
5. [Innovation Factory] Sielo Robotics - Company Profile | https://innovationfactory.ca/clients/sielo-robotics/
6. [LinkedIn, 2026] Yugmil Patel - Sielo Robotics | LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/yugmilpatel/
7. [MarketsandMarkets] Assistive Robotics Market - Global Forecast to 2028 | https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/
8. [Grand View Research] Power Wheelchair Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report | https://www.grandviewresearch.com/
9. [CDC] Disability and Health Data System (DHDS) | https://www.cdc.gov/
10. [WHO] Ageing and health | https://www.who.int/
11. [Home Care Association of America] Home Care Industry Statistics | https://www.hcaoa.org/
12. [U.S. Department of Justice] Americans with Disabilities Act | https://www.ada.gov/
13. [FDA] Classify Your Medical Device | https://www.fda.gov/
14. [CMS] Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Center | https://www.cms.gov/
15. [Kinova Robotics] Jaco assistive robotic arm | https://assistive.kinovarobotics.com/product/jaco-robotic-arm
16. [IEEE Spectrum] Jaco Is a Low-Power Robot Arm That Hooks to Your Wheelchair | https://spectrum.ieee.org/robot-arm-helps-disabled-11-year-old-girl-show-horse-in-competition
17. [NIBIB] Abstract There are approximately 2.8 million wheelchair... | https://www.nibib.nih.gov/sites/default/files/R-ARM.pdf