Ati Motors Secures $20M to Spark India’s Robotics Surge
Ati Motors Fires Up Global Growth with a $20 Million Cash Injection
Hey tech enthusiasts! On a Wednesday that felt like a winning lottery day for Ati Motors, the Bengaluru‑based startup announced a $20 million capital boost. With this fresh dough, the little robot wizard is ready to crank up its ambitions beyond India and head straight into the world arena.
Why the Funding Matters
- U.S., India, & Southeast Asia are eager to cut their thread with China, creating a perfect playground for AMRs.
- India’s National Strategy for Robotics – launched by the IT ministry – aims to crown the country as a robotics heavyweight by 2030.
- According to the International Federation of Robotics, India has seen a 59% jump in industrial robot installs last year, landing it seventh in the world.
Inside the Startup’s Playbook
“Our competition? It’s the status quo, not another fancy robot.” Claims founder and CEO Saurabh Chandra during an interview. “We’re all about kick‑starting manual toil, improvising drivers, or the old slouchy hands that push around bins. Our robots? They’re the cool sidekicks that do the heavy lifting itself.”
Meet the Robots
The 7‑year‑old brainchild from Bengaluru is already rolling out seven different robots, with two in the testing phase and ready for markets by the end of this quarter.
- Moves trolleys, bins, & pallets like a pro.
- Ready to take over factory floors and warehouses.
What’s Next?
With the new funds, Ati Motors is on road to:
- Expand manufacturing to meet global demand.
- Pitch its high‑tech bots to sectors looking to ditch reliance on China.
- Steer India to a new robotics frontier.
Ati Motors’ All‑Weather Robots Are a Real Game Changer
Picture this: A robot that can navigate a factory floor slick with oil, scaling precarious gradients and cracking tiles, all while ignoring the drizzle drumming on its panels. That’s the promise of Ati Motors, and it’s no small feat.
How They Do It
- 3‑D Lidar Sensors: These guys use state‑of‑the‑art depth cameras that give their robots a true spatial awareness—think of it as a robot’s inner GPS that can “see” every bump.
- Full‑Stack DIY: “We do the full stack ourselves,” says Chandra. “That’s our USP: we can engineer both hardware AND software from scratch.”
- Edge Computing on Nvidia Jetson: Like the cool kids in the tech scene, they rely on Jetson’s processors for real‑time decision making at the robot’s edge.
- Fleet Management Software: Their own management suite plays nice with other mobile robots, making it easy for teams to supervise mixed fleets.
What Makes Them Stand Out
Unlike many companies that adopt off‑the‑shelf parts, Ati Motors builds both the sensor‑fusion algorithms and the hardware. That means each robot is tailored to survive the daily grind—be it rain‑slick floors or sudden temperature swings.
Real‑World Testing
Chandra highlights that their bots have “worked in tough environments where harsh weather, including rain, can impact manufacturing.” The robots’ ability to move on varied flooring and cocktail of hazards (gradients, cracks, spills) is not just brag; it’s battle‑tested on the floor itself.
And that’s the secret sauce: a fusion of in‑house engineering, high‑accuracy sensors, and smart software that keeps production humming without a hiccup.
Bottom line—these robots don’t just survive the storm; they deliver it hands‑free.
Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda
Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise.
Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda
Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.
Ati Motors: Making Robots Roam the Production Floor
San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025
What’s the Buzz About?
“I can already see a future packed with robots marching into factories,” joked founder Chandra, waving an imaginary army of metallic movers. The key takeaway? No single company can manufacture all those robots, so everyone’s gotta collaborate from day one.
From Tug‑to‑Tech
Launched in February 2017, Ati Motors began as a humble tug‑robot, but the customer chorus demanded more. After a quick pivot, the startup rolled out pallet movers and lifters, satisfying the need for a full‑stack mobile workforce.
Sheer Flexibility with RaaS
- Robot‑as‑a‑Service (RaaS) – Lease the AMRs, pay only for the action, and we handle the rest.
- Buy outright if you’re feeling seriously sci‑fi‑centric.
Meet the Mecho‑Mavens
Ati Motors proudly boasts hundreds of its Sherpa robots on the floor of 40 manufacturing plants worldwide – from Airbus’s cockpit to Hyundai’s showroom. Notable names on the roster include Ceat Tyres, Forvia, Samsung, and TVS Motor.
Numbers That Matter
- 80% of the client base: automotive industry.
- USA drives the majority of sales revenue.
- Next stop – North America, especially Minneapolis & Detroit, to supercharge autonomous fleets.
Funding Finessed
A fully equity seed‑backed Series B is in place. The deal’s star co‑leaders:
- Walden Catalyst Ventures
- NGP Capital
And the roll‑call support includes:
- True Ventures
- Exfinity Venture Partners
- Athera Venture Partners
- Blume Ventures
Why We’re All In
Future automation isn’t a one‑man show – it’s a robot‑collective circus. Ati Motors is building the troupe, and with the right funding and global partnerships, their robotic brigade is set to take the manufacturing world by storm.
