Kewazo Raises $35M in Venture Round Backed by Chevron Technology Ventures, Asahi Kasei and Others

Why It Matters

The investment accelerates Kewazo’s scale in high‑barrier industrial environments, signaling strong market demand for robotics that boost safety and lower operating costs across energy and materials sectors.

Key Takeaways

• Kewazo raised $35M from Chevron, Asahi Kasei, others
• Liftbot deployed at 20+ sites in North America, Europe
• Funding accelerates expansion into new workflows and capacity
• Physical AI platform collects operational data for future automation
• Major energy and materials investors signal confidence in industrial robotics

Pulse Analysis

Industrial robotics is moving from pilot projects to core infrastructure as operators seek to reduce downtime, labor shortages, and safety incidents. Heavy‑industry sites—refineries, petrochemical complexes, and power plants—have traditionally relied on cranes and manual lifts, which are costly and risky. By introducing autonomous lifting solutions, companies can achieve tighter maintenance windows, lower insurance premiums, and higher throughput, aligning with broader digital transformation goals across the energy and manufacturing value chains.

Kewazo’s flagship Liftbot exemplifies this shift, offering a mobile, sensor‑rich platform that can hoist heavy components without human intervention. Each deployment feeds structured operational data into Kewazo’s Physical AI platform, creating a feedback loop that refines performance and paves the way for predictive maintenance and fully automated material handling. This data‑centric approach not only improves immediate safety and efficiency but also builds a foundation for next‑generation AI‑driven workflows, where robots coordinate with control systems to optimize plant operations in real time.

The participation of Chevron Technology Ventures and Asahi Kasei underscores the strategic importance of robotics in the energy and materials sectors. Their backing validates the commercial viability of Liftbot and signals to the broader market that large incumbents are willing to invest in disruptive automation technologies. As these investors integrate Kewazo’s solutions into their own supply chains, the company gains privileged access to high‑value sites, accelerating adoption and setting a benchmark for future industrial AI deployments. This momentum is likely to spur additional capital inflows and competitive innovation across the heavy‑industry robotics landscape.

Deal Summary

Robotics company Kewazo announced the closing of a $35 million funding round led by Schooner Capital and supported by Chevron Technology Ventures, Asahi Kasei, Benson Capital, Mana Ventures, Gaingels, Atlas Ventures, True Ventures and Cybernetix Ventures. The capital will accelerate deployment of its Liftbot heavy‑industry robot and expand its Physical AI platform.