RoboForce Raises $10 Million for Robot Workforce Development

RoboForce Secures Funding for Robotic Workforce

During a visit to a solar farm near Phoenix last summer, RoboForce’s founder, Leo Ma, observed ground temperatures capable of cooking an egg. He noted the challenging conditions faced by workers securing the millions of solar panels across the expansive, harsh terrain.

Throughout his career, Ma has toured numerous industrial facilities, including chip manufacturing plants and underground drilling operations. He consistently identified repetitive and potentially hazardous tasks performed by humans, leading him to believe that “these are the types of jobs people shouldn’t be required to do anymore,” as he explained to TechCrunch.

Introducing RoboForce

This conviction spurred the creation of RoboForce, launched 19 months ago by Ma. The company’s core mission is to develop highly precise robotic workers capable of undertaking tasks such as solar panel installation.

The company’s first product is a robot approximately one and a half meters in height, featuring black metal arms – resembling a larger, headless version of Wall-E.

Today, RoboForce announced the successful acquisition of $10 million in early-stage funding to further develop Ma’s vision of a robotic workforce.

Investor Support

The funding round includes investment from prominent figures such as Nobel Laureate economist Myron Scholes, venture capitalist Gary Rieschel (formerly of SoftBank), and Carnegie Mellon University, Ma’s former academic institution.

Ma emphasized that RoboForce is dedicated to automating the most arduous, repetitive, physically demanding, and inherently risky work, tasks that should not necessitate human involvement.

A Lifelong Pursuit

RoboForce represents a continuation of Ma’s professional journey. Prior to founding the company, he contributed to autonomous driving software development at Baidu USA and co-founded CYNGN, an automated driving company that he assisted in taking public. He succinctly stated, “building AI robotics is my sole focus.”

Addressing Labor Shortages in Solar Energy

RoboForce is initially targeting the solar panel market, an industry currently grappling with significant labor challenges. Data from Wood Mackenzie indicates that approximately 53 gigawatts of solar projects were delayed in 2024 due to worker shortages and extended equipment lead times.

The company plans to initiate one or two pilot solar projects utilizing its robots later this year.

Competition and Differentiation

RoboForce is entering a competitive landscape, with established players like AES Corporation, which recently unveiled Maximo, a large-scale robot designed to install solar panels at twice the speed of a human worker.

However, Ma remains confident, asserting that his product offers superior accuracy. “RoboForce is the first and only company to achieve one millimeter accuracy in both the AI model and the robot’s physical actions,” he stated. This precision enables the RoboForce robot to perform intricate tasks, such as tightening a screw in a remote desert environment.

Looking to the Future

The company’s ambitions extend far beyond terrestrial applications. RoboForce’s ultimate goal, as articulated by Ma, is “helping to build a moon base on the moon.”