Sensmore Secures $7.3M for Physical AI in Construction Sector
sensmore co-founders Bjarne Johannsen (left) and Maximilian Rolf (right) - © sensmore
A Berlin-based robotics startup is betting big on the future of heavy machinery automation. Sensmore has just closed a $7.3 million funding round to bring its Physical AI technology to some of the world's largest mobile machines, from quarry trucks to wheel loaders.
The company's approach is refreshingly practical. Instead of building new machines from scratch, sensmore retrofits existing heavy equipment on-site with hardware and proprietary AI software. According to information from the company's press release, their technology can transform any machine into an autonomous, self-reasoning robot capable of solving complex tasks in real-time without prior training.
What makes sensmore's solution particularly interesting is its modular approach. The platform includes Machine Assist for collision alerts, Site OS for operational oversight, and Eye for vision-based quality control. Each component works independently while contributing to a larger autonomous ecosystem.
The startup has already proven its concept with full rollouts at several major European sites. Industrial giants CEMEX and Lhoist are among the customers seeing measurable improvements in both productivity and safety. The company's first fully automated Load-Haul-Dump machine is currently undergoing field testing and can complete entire load-and-carry cycles without human intervention.
At the technical core lies what CTO Bjarne Johannsen calls a two-layer intelligence system. "Thinking Fast" enables instant reactions, while "Thinking Slow" adds reasoning capabilities through Vision-Language-Action Models (VLAMs) - similar to technology used by Figure AI for humanoid robots, but adapted for heavy machinery.
Point Nine Capital led the funding round, joined by international investors including Acequia Capital and Prototype Capital. The backing also includes industry veterans like former BHP CCO Arnoud Balhuizen and Wayve's Amar Shah, suggesting strong confidence in sensmore's approach to industrial automation.
