Bedrock Robotics Launches with $80M to Automate Construction | Waymo Alumni

Bedrock Robotics Emerges with $80 Million in Funding

Bedrock Robotics, a startup specializing in autonomous vehicle technology, has been operating discreetly for over a year. The company, founded by former employees of Waymo and Segment, is now publicly announcing an $80 million funding round led by investors Eclipse and 8VC.

Focus on Retrofitting Worksite Vehicles

The core mission of Bedrock Robotics centers around the development of a self-driving kit. This kit is designed for retrofitting existing construction and worksite vehicles, as stated by the company. This announcement corroborates earlier reports from TechCrunch in May.

According to a blog post authored by co-founder and CEO Boris Sofman, Bedrock is dedicated to “enhancing current fleets with sensors, computing power, and intelligent systems.” These systems are intended to comprehend project objectives, adapt to dynamic conditions, and perform tasks continuously.

Leadership Team and Background

Boris Sofman previously oversaw Waymo’s self-driving truck program, which was later discontinued. However, he is widely recognized for his role as co-founder and CEO of Anki Robotics, the creator of the popular Cozmo robot, which ceased operations in 2019.

Joining Sofman are fellow co-founders: Kevin Peterson, now serving as CTO, who is also a Waymo veteran; Ajay Gummalla, a VP of engineering; and Tom Eliaz, a VP of engineering with prior experience at Segment and Twilio.

Attempts to reach the company for further comment were unsuccessful. TechCrunch intends to update this article as soon as Bedrock provides a response.

Growing Trend in Off-Road Autonomy

Bedrock Robotics represents the latest venture attracting engineers skilled in robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence to the realm of off-road applications. A number of autonomous vehicle startups have emerged in recent years, aiming to implement their self-driving technologies in off-road environments.

These environments include construction sites, mining operations, industrial areas, and even defense applications.

Competitive Landscape

Just this week, Pronto, a San Francisco-based startup specializing in self-driving systems for haulage trucks and other off-road vehicles, completed the acquisition of its competitor, SafeAI.

Other companies operating within the fragmented off-road autonomy sector include Kodiak Robotics, Polymath Robotics, Seattle-based Overland AI, New Brunswick, Canada-based Potential, and more established entities like Forterra.

Current Testing and Partnerships

Bedrock Robotics is currently concentrating its efforts on construction sites. Testing is underway in Arkansas, Arizona, Texas, and California, in collaboration with four corporations: Sundt Construction, Zachry Construction Corporation, Champion Site Prep Inc., and Capitol Aggregates Inc.

The company is actively evaluating its technology in real-world construction scenarios.