Startup Unveils Autonomous Security Robot, Raises $4.3M

Robotics startup Ascento has closed a funding round with $4.3 million for its autonomous security patrolling robots, addressing the “mounting challenges” faced by labor shortages in the security industry. 

The round was led by Wingman Ventures and Playfair Capital, with participation from investors Clearpath CTO and co-founder Ryan Gariepy, mybotshop founder Daniel Kottlarz, the Swiss Innovation Agency and the European Space Agency incubator ESA BIC.

With the latest funding, Ascento also launched its latest wheeled outdoor patrolling robot, Ascento Guard. 

Ascento’s Guard robot can detect unwanted people on-premises and check for damage to structures such as fences, gates and doors. It can also identify floods and fires, and control parking lots. 

The robot comes with an AI-enabled app that analyzes collected footage to give managers real-time insights into potential problems, sending an alert to human security guards when a threat is identified.

The robots are designed to meet labor shortages in the security industry, offering patrol services during anti-social hours and in any weather. 

“The new Ascento Guard offers hope and a breath of fresh air for the security industry facing some pressing challenges,” said Alessandro Morra, Ascento’s CEO. “By supporting human security personnel with the Ascento Guard, security companies can offer a lean solution through which Ascento does the heavy lifting allowing humans to focus on the unique nuances of the work”. 

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“Many of the world’s most pressing business challenges cannot be solved by software alone,” said Chris Smith, Playfair’s managing partner. “We see the next decade as providing a huge opportunity for companies building in robotics to solve these challenges.”

Ascento’s existing customers include large outdoor warehouses, industrial manufacturing and pharma campuses, among others. Since the beginning of the year, its surveillance robots have covered more than 1,864 miles of outdoor security.