ExRobotics secures €7M to scale autonomous safety robots

Delft-based ExRobotics, a company developing explosion-proof autonomous robots for the energy and petrochemical industries, has closed the first tranche of a €7 million growth capital round. The investment, led by venture firm FORWARD.one, will enable ExRobotics to rapidly scale its Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) fleets, expand software capabilities, and increase manufacturing capacity to meet rising global demand for its innovative inspection robots that enhance safety, sustainability, and efficiency for major industrial customers.

ExRobotics develops robots for use in potentially explosive gas environments, including the ExR-2.5 model, which is certified for temperatures from -40°C to +55°C. Capable of traveling at up to 2 kilometers per hour, the ExR-2.5 can perform missions lasting 2 to 6 hours and is designed to execute 2 to 3 missions daily for up to 6 months without human intervention.

These robots are equipped for autonomous navigation, tilting/zooming cameras, and various optical, thermal, and acoustic cameras for comprehensive inspections. The robots can also be fitted with gas detectors, speakers, microphones, and acoustic leak detectors.

ExRobotics strategic growth

The recent investment round was spearheaded by FORWARD.one, a venture capital firm specializing in industrial technology, with continued support from Rotterdam Port Fund, a long-standing investor in ExRobotics. The funding aims to accelerate the global deployment of ExRobotics' RaaS fleets, enhance its software capabilities, expand certification coverage, and boost production capacity to meet the increasing global demand.

Mark Mildon, CEO of ExRobotics, stated: "Our core customers are scaling fast, and we’re investing to grow with them. FORWARD.one brings the right experience in scaling industrial technologies and intuitively understands the challenges we face. Together, we will accelerate our ability to help customers operate more safely, sustainably, and efficiently."

Arjan Göbel, Partner at FORWARD.one, said, “ExRobotics stands out through its proven deployments, deep certification expertise, and clear customer value. The company turns safety, emissions, and uptime into measurable performance. That’s our kind of business.” David van Loo, Investment Director of Rotterdam Port Fund, also expressed enthusiasm about joining forces with FORWARD.one to facilitate the next phase of ExRobotics' scaling.

ExRobotics has developed four generations of robots over the past 16 years and offers a complete robotics solution in partnership with Energy Robotics, including the ExR-2.5 robot platform, payloads, accessories, and cloud software. ExRobotics also offers flexible service models, including leasing with 3-year contracts and 'Mission as a Service,' in which ExRobotics and its partners handle deployment, programming, and data transfer. This comprehensive approach ensures high robot availability, especially in demanding locations.