KEWAZO Secures New Funding Round
KEWAZO, a robotics company focused on transforming heavy industry operations, announced a new funding round supported by Chevron Technology Ventures, Asahi Kasei, Benson Capital, Mana Ventures, Gaingels, and Atlas Ventures, alongside lead investor Schooner Capital and existing investors True Ventures and Cybernetix Ventures
With this latest round, the company’s total funding has reached $35 million, supporting its expansion in robotics and industrial automation
Growing Adoption of LIFTBOT Across Industrial Sites
KEWAZO’s flagship lifting robot LIFTBOT is currently deployed at more than 20 industrial sites across North America and Europe, including refineries, petrochemical plants, chemical complexes, and power generation facilities
The system is increasingly adopted by asset owners and service providers as a replacement for cranes and manual material handling, delivering improvements in safety, operational efficiency, and project schedule predictability during maintenance, turnarounds, and capital projects
Enabling the Physical AI Future of Industry
Deployments of LIFTBOT provide KEWAZO access to complex industrial environments, enabling the collection of structured operational data from high-barrier sites
This data serves as the foundation for the company’s Physical AI platform, designed to introduce transparency in industrial workflows today while enabling automation capabilities in the future
Advancing as a Robotics and AI Leader in Heavy Industry
KEWAZO is positioning itself as a leading provider of robotics and AI solutions for heavy industry, leveraging strong backing from major players in energy and materials sectors such as Chevron Technology Ventures and Asahi Kasei
The newly secured capital will support scaling deployment capacity, expanding into additional industrial workflows, and strengthening integration within existing customer sites
CEO Perspective on Industry Transformation
Artem Kuchukov, Co-Founder and CEO of KEWAZO, emphasized that while robotics is widely discussed, it is rarely seen in operation within industrial plants
He highlighted that KEWAZO enables industrial asset owners to adopt automation by delivering immediate value in vertical material movement, with growing demand from clients to expand into additional workflows
He also noted that support from investors such as Schooner Capital, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Asahi Kasei will accelerate this transformation
Investor Insights and Strategic Support
Schooner Capital’s View
Alexandra Manick, Managing Director at Schooner Capital, stated that robotics and automation are transforming industrial operations similarly to how AI is reshaping the broader economy
She noted that KEWAZO is well positioned to lead innovation in heavy industry due to its strong technical expertise and commercial execution, expressing confidence in the company’s continued growth and strategic vision
Chevron Technology Ventures’ Perspective
Jim Gable, Vice President of Innovation at Chevron and President of Technology Ventures at Chevron Technology Ventures, highlighted that LIFTBOT provides an innovative approach to improving safety and cost efficiency in industrial operations
He added that the investment aligns with Chevron’s Core Venture Fund strategy, which focuses on high-growth startups and emerging technologies that can enhance core operations and create new growth opportunities
Asahi Kasei’s Outlook
Jeff Chen, Managing Director at Asahi Kasei Ventures, noted that the investment supports the company’s vision of advancing technologies that improve safety and efficiency in industrial operations
He emphasized that KEWAZO’s solutions address key industry priorities, including reducing maintenance timeframes, improving safety, and enabling workers to focus on higher-value tasks
Benson Capital’s Perspective
George Rovegno, Investment Associate at Benson Capital, highlighted the importance of equipping industrial regions such as the Gulf Coast with advanced technologies to maintain global competitiveness
He stated that KEWAZO is delivering practical robotics solutions already demonstrating real-world impact in refineries and petrochemical facilities, supporting safer and more efficient operations
About KEWAZO
KEWAZO is a Munich- and Houston-based robotics and AI company focused on automating heavy industry processes
Its flagship solution, LIFTBOT, replaces cranes and manual handling in maintenance and capital projects, improving safety, increasing efficiency, and accelerating project timelines while enabling the transition toward data-driven and automated industrial environments
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