Swiss-based Gravis Robotics has raised $23 million in new funding to expand its autonomous earthmoving platform. The round was co-led by IQ Capital and Zacua Ventures, with participation from Pear VC, Imad (CVC of Nesma & Partners), Sunna Ventures, Armada Investment and Holcim. The company also announced multiple industry partnerships that broaden its reach in global construction.
Launched in late 2022 as a spinout from ETH Zurich, Gravis focuses on addressing long-standing productivity constraints in construction. The sector continues to face rising demand, labour shortages and slow output growth. Instead of redesigning entire workflows, the company’s approach concentrates on improving on-site efficiency.
Its learning-based control system adapts to real ground conditions and extends beyond simple automated commands. The technology “feels the soil” through data from hydraulics, LiDAR, cameras and GNSS, allowing equipment to respond to variable terrain.
This system connects to Gravis Slate, a tablet interface that fits into existing site processes. The sensor suite used for autonomous functions also enhances manual operation, enabling a continuous data loop. This loop supports performance tracking and helps accelerate the development of autonomous features.
The platform is designed for tasks such as trenching, grading, earthworks and material handling. Rather than replacing workers, it complements on-site teams by increasing output by around 30 percent, reducing rework and improving safety.
Ryan Luke Johns, CEO and co-founder of Gravis Robotics, said the most practical route to autonomy starts with immediate productivity gains:
“By giving operators real-time 3D intelligence and the ability to shift seamlessly between autonomy and augmented control, we cover more of the work, accelerate adoption, and create the data pipeline needed to learn new capabilities from the industry’s hardest jobs.”
Gravis systems are already in operation with major contractors. They support work such as site preparation, stockpile handling and loading of trucks and screeners. Taylor Woodrow recently used Gravis technology at Manchester Airport, marking what is described as the UK’s first large-scale deployment of autonomous excavation on an active job site.
The company is working with Flannery to offer turnkey excavators equipped with the Gravis Rack. Additional rollouts are underway through OEM dealer networks, including Develon in the UK and Kibag in Switzerland.
After recent expansion efforts, Gravis now operates in seven countries across the UK, EU, US, LATAM and Asia. This represents one of the most widespread deployments of autonomous excavation technology across both mixed fleets and OEM-integrated equipment. It also extends autonomy into the earthmoving equipment rental segment.
With the latest investment, Gravis intends to enhance its autonomy stack, scale partnerships and leverage existing distribution channels to support broader adoption of autonomous earthmoving solutions.
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