Realtime Robotics raises $14.4M for motion planning software

Listen to this article

Two Kawasaki welding robots coordinate their motions using RealTime Robotics’ RapidPlan software. | Credit: RealTime Robotics

Realtime Robotics, a Boston-based developer of collision-free, autonomous motion planning for industrial robots, has raised another $14.4 million in funding. The funding was led by Soundproof Ventures, Heroic Ventures and SIP Global Partners and brings the company’s total funding to date to more than $60 million.

The funding comes on the heels of the official launch of Realtime’s RapidPlan software, which helps manufacturers design and deploy industrial automation. With RapidPlan, customers can automate the programming, deployment and control of their industrial robots within applications such as automotive or logistics. The software can autonomously create and choreograph all robot movements without the need for brand-specific robot programming.

Within RapidPlan’s software environment, users create a digital twin simulation of their workcell and then point and click on robots and target points to visualize collision-free task plans. The same software used for the simulation environment controls real-world robots.

“We have seen a tremendous industry response to the launch of RapidPlan and its ability to make collision-free operations a reality for industrial robotics, speeding programming time and increasing throughput,” said Peter Howard, CEO of Realtime Robotics. “We’ve recently pivoted away from hardware to pure software, making it even easier for all customers and partners to integrate our revolutionary technology within their existing stack and workflows. This latest round of funding will assist us in scaling to meet demand.”

Realtime Robotics said it will use the new funding to continue to scale. It will also be used to invest in overall engineering development and to enable additional enhancements to its core software.

“As supply chains are increasingly taxed, industry craves efficiency,” added Michael Silverstein, Managing Partner of Soundproof Ventures. “By automating the most challenging and costly aspects of operating industrial robots, Realtime Robotics enables customers to unlock the promise of automation and drive output well beyond what has ever been conceived.”

Realtime Robotics is a former resident startup of MassRobotics. It moved out in 2019 after it grew to 30-plus employees. You can read more about the founding of Realtime Robotics in this profile written by MIT.