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Few industries are as ripe for automation-fueled disruption as construction. The industry is valued at approximately $2 trillion per year in the United States alone. Much of this work is arduous, repetitive and sometimes dangerous – precisely the kind of problems industrial robotics is designed to solve. The other thing that construction brings is a wide range of different challenges, which means more startups can operate in this space without being in direct competition.
Masonry robots aren’t exactly an untapped concept. Right now, Hadrian X is probably the most well-known player in the industry. The American company specializes in building structures from large concrete masonry blocks. Based in Amsterdam Monumentalfor its part, specializes in the best-known variety of red clay.
The startup was founded in 2021 by the couple behind data visualization company Silk (now a Palantir joint venture). Monumental has already carried out limited pilot projects in its native Netherlands, including on the 15-metre exterior of an office building. Partnerships with 25 entrepreneurs followed, notably social housing.
I can’t speak much about the effectiveness of the system beyond what I’ve seen in some video demos, but I can say that the company appears to be tackling the problem on several fronts, starting with a cart self-contained designed to support heavy loads. payloads. From there, another robot spreads liquid mortar and lays bricks.
“At Monumental, we work to help the industry address these challenges,” says Salar al Khafaji, co-founder and CEO. “Our agile, intelligent and adaptable robots and software combine human expertise with robotic efficiency in a way the industry has never seen before. »
To celebrate its release, Monumental is also announcing a major $25 million fundraising round, led by Plural and Hummingbird, with participation from Northzone, Foundamental and NP-Hard Ventures.
The funding will be used for hiring, increasing manufacturing, and diversifying how its robots are able to manipulate bricks/blocks.
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