Robot Builder Ati Motors in Rochester Hills Raises $20M Series B for Global Expansion

Ati Motors, an India-based AI developer and a manufacturer of autonomous robotics, has secured a $20 million Series B investment. The company’s North American headquarters is in Rochester Hills.
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The AI-driven autonomous Sherpa pallet mover from Ati Motors. // Photo courtesy of Ati Motors

Ati Motors, an India-based AI developer and a manufacturer of autonomous robotics, has secured a $20 million Series B investment. The company’s North American headquarters is in Rochester Hills.

The investment was led by Walden Catalyst Ventures (WCV) and NGP Capital (NGP), with participation from current investors, including True Ventures, Exfinity Venture Partners, Athera Venture Partners, and Blume Ventures.

The funding comes on the heels of Ati Motors recent performance — a tripled order book in Q4 2024 and the addition of “nine industry leading clients.”

Ati Motors says its expertise in robotics, AI, and manufacturing, is “revolutionizing how the industrial sector approaches automation.” It has deployed hundreds of its Sherpa robots for 40 manufacturers (30 percent Fortune 500), including Forvia and Hyundai. Overall, there are “multiple scaled deployments in North America.”

The capital will enable the company to accelerate the development and deployment of its robotic workforce, which uses what the company calls “one of the largest and most diverse factory datasets for autonomous movement.”

“Since our founding, Ati Motors mission has been to create advanced, reliable products that enhance both productivity and efficiency in industrial settings,” says Saurabh Chandra, founder and CEO of Ati Motors.

“This funding will accelerate our ability to leverage our extensive real-world dataset to develop next-generation AI models and further advance our industrial autonomy platform. The rapid growth we’re experiencing validates our approach of focusing on manufacturing as a vertical, and conceptualizing these robots as purpose-built self-driving vehicles.”

Moving forward, Ati Motors will accelerate product development, work to expand its market share in North America and APAC, and strengthen its position as a leading provider of industrial automation solutions at the intersection of AI and robotics.

The company recently established an operation in Mexico, and has strengthened its presence across the U.S., India and Southeast Asia. In turn, the North America headquarters in Rochester Hills is being expanded.

“Ati Motors represents the future of industrial automation,” says Shankar Chandran, a partner at Walden Catalyst Ventures. “Their unique combination of advanced AI capabilities and robotics, along with a deep understanding of manufacturing environments, positions them perfectly to lead the next wave of industrial automation.”