# Gravis Robotics funding and technology expansion > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/gravis-robotics-funding-and-technology-expansion > Updated: 2026-08-20T08:28:52.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2. Gravis Robotics, a Swiss startup and ETH Zurich spin-off, has secured $200 million in Series A funding led by SoftBank. This investment has resulted in a post-money valuation of approximately $1 billion, making the company a unicorn in the construction robotics sector. The company specializes in physical AI designed to retrofit existing heavy machinery from manufacturers such as Caterpillar, John Deere, Volvo, and JCB. Using sensors and cameras to create three-dimensional environmental models, the technology allows for a range of operation from AI-assisted manual control to full autonomy. This automation is intended to increase jobsite productivity by up to 30%, enhance safety, and address labor shortages, such as the projected retirement of 13 million workers in Germany by 2040. Gravis Robotics plans to use the capital to scale its technology globally and expand its engineering team. The company has already been selected to retrofit equipment for an $8 million government infrastructure project in the United Kingdom. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-20: Gravis Robotics secures $200 million to automate construction machinery ETH spin-off Gravis Robotics secured $200 million from Softbank to develop AI and sensor retrofit kits that enable conventional excavators to operate autonomously. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gravis-robotics-secures-200-million-to-automate-construction-machinery ### 2026-08-17: Gravis Robotics secures $200 million from SoftBank for construction AI Swiss startup Gravis Robotics has achieved unicorn status after raising $200 million in a SoftBank-led Series A round to develop AI software for autonomous heavy construction machinery. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/softbank-invests-200m-in-gravis-robotics-for-autonomous-construction --- Cite as: Gravis Robotics funding and technology expansion. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/gravis-robotics-funding-and-technology-expansion