KEWAZO's LIFTBOT Is Automating Maintenance and Capital Projects Across the Energy Sector

KEWAZO, the robotics company transforming heavy industry worldwide, today announced a new funding round backed by Chevron Technology Ventures, Asahi Kasei, Benson Capital, Mana Ventures, Gaingels, and Atlas Ventures, alongside lead investor Schooner Capital and existing investors True Ventures and Cybernetix Ventures. Total funding now reaches $35M.

KEWAZO’s lifting robot LIFTBOT is already deployed at more than 20 industrial sites in North America and Europe, including refineries, petrochemical plants, chemical complexes, and power facilities. Asset owners and service providers are increasingly adopting LIFTBOT to replace cranes and manual handling - improving safety and efficiency while bringing greater schedule predictability to maintenance, turnarounds, and capital projects.

Enabling the Physical AI Future of Industrial Sites

LIFTBOT deployments grant KEWAZO access to high-barrier industrial environments, enabling the company to collect structured operational data. This forms the foundation of KEWAZO’s Physical AI platform, designed to introduce transparency today and enable automation tomorrow.

Go-to Robotics and AI Provider for Heavy Industry

KEWAZO is building toward becoming the leading robotics and AI provider for heavy industry. The backing of Chevron Technology Ventures and Asahi Kasei — two major players in energy and materials is a welcome addition to KEWAZO investor base. The new capital will accelerate deployment capacity, expand into additional workflows, and deepen integration within existing customer sites.

“Our clients hear about robotics, but they rarely see robots operating at their plants,” said Artem Kuchukov, Co-Founder & CEO. “KEWAZO changes that. We help industrial asset owners adopt automation by delivering instant value in vertical material movement, and many clients already ask us to expand into additional workflows. With the support of Schooner Capital, Chevron Technology Ventures, Asahi Kasei, and our existing investors, we’re accelerating this shift.”

Schooner Capital

“Robotics and automation are transforming industrial operations, mirroring the adoption of AI across the economy,” said Alexandra Manick, Managing Director at Schooner Capital. “KEWAZO is perfectly positioned to lead the charge in heavy industry, as evidenced by the team’s technical depth and strong commercial execution. We are proud to lead this round and support their continued expansion and vision.”

Chevron Technology Ventures

“KEWAZO’s LIFTBOT technology offers an innovative approach to improving safety and cost-efficiency in industrial operations,” said Jim Gable, Vice President of Innovation within Chevron’s Technology, Projects & Execution organization and President of Technology Ventures at Chevron. “This is the latest investment from our Core Venture Fund, which focuses on high-growth startups and emerging technologies that have the potential to improve Chevron's core businesses, as well as create new opportunities for growth. We welcome KEWAZO to the portfolio.”

Asahi Kasei

“This investment aligns with Asahi Kasei’s vision by advancing technologies that improve safety and efficiency in critical industrial operations,” said Jeff Chen, Managing Director at Asahi Kasei Ventures. “KEWAZO’s approach directly addresses key priorities for the materials industry — enhancing safety, shortening maintenance windows, and applying deep technical expertise to complex physical environments. We believe innovations like this will ultimately enable the workforce to focus on higher-value efforts.”

Benson Capital

“The Gulf Coast has fueled America’s energy leadership for generations, and it is vital to equip this region’s workforce with the most advanced tools available to keep our industrial backbone safe, efficient, and globally competitive,” said George Rovegno, Investment Associate at Benson Capital. “KEWAZO is delivering exactly that. They are bringing practical, proven robotics into refineries and petrochemical facilities, and already demonstrating real impact. We’re excited to back a company that isn’t just talking about the future of industrial operations, but actively enabling it across critical infrastructure throughout the Gulf Coast.”

About KEWAZO

KEWAZO is a Munich- and Houston-based robotics and AI company automating heavy industry. Its flagship product, lifting robot LIFTBOT, replaces cranes and manual handling during maintenance and capital projects—improving safety, enhancing efficiency, and accelerating project schedules. For more information, visit www.kewazo.com.

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