$7.3 million for robotics startup sensmore

Point Nine invests in sensmore. The Berlin-based startup relies on multimodal AI to make machine fleets autonomous in industrial environments.

Berlin/Potsdam, May 20, 2025 - Robotics startup sensmore has raised 7.3 million US dollars in a financing round to transform Europe's largest construction machines into intelligent, autonomous robots. With a unique combination of end-to-end AI and multimodal machine intelligence, the company aims to set a new standard for automation in particularly demanding industrial environments.

The round was led by Berlin-based early-stage investor Point Nine Capital, accompanied by international business angels and the European Union.

Re-industrialization through physical AI

sensmore's focus is on a realistic and robust automation solution for industries such as construction, raw materials extraction and mining. In these sectors, traditional automation has often failed due to physical limitations. The start-up's solution: physical AI that retrofits heavy machinery such as dumpers, dump trucks or wheel loaders with sensors, hardware and software directly on the customer's premises. The aim is to transform them into autonomous, adaptive units.

We don't develop for our customers, we develop with them - and deliver added value from day one.

Maximilian Rolf, Co-Founder and CEO sensmore

The technology is already being used productively by well-known customers such as CEMEX and Lhoist. In some of Europe's largest quarries, sensmore has already digitized entire fleets and demonstrably increased productivity and safety.

Technology: AI for complex tasks in real time

At the heart of the platform is a specially developed end-to-end AI structure, combined with a so-called Vision-Language-Action Model (VLAM). This enables the system to process visual data, speech and instructions and solve complex tasks without having been trained beforehand.

Thinking Fast' is our AI core for fast, instinctive action. 'Thinking Slow' complements this with deep semantic understanding.

Bjarne Johannsen, CTO sensmore

Similar to AI systems from Wayve or Figure AI, sensmore uses multimodal architectural approaches, but for the first time under real, harsh environmental conditions on huge industrial plants.

From assistance to autonomy: the sensmore approach

The company's roadmap is based on gradual expansion:

• Starting with assistance systems such as collision avoidance and machine positioning
• Development of an operational management system for production managers
• Use of the data obtained for the gradual autonomization of entire machine fleets

The first fully autonomous loader that performs an entire load-and-carry cycle is currently being tested at a customer's site.

Support from renowned investors and EU funding

In addition to lead investor Point Nine Capital, international VCs such as Acequia Capital, Prototype Capital, Tiny Supercomputer Investment Company and Entrepreneur First also participated. Industry giants such as Amar Shah (Wayve), Michael Wax (Forto) and Arnoud Balhuizen (former CCO BHP) are also among the supporters.

sensmore is a driver of reindustrialization - with practical, scalable AI and a strong founding team.

Ricardo Sequerra Amram, Partner at Point Nine

sensmore receives additional funding from the state of Brandenburg, co-financed by EU funds.