What KEWAZO does

KEWAZO is a Munich-headquartered robotics and data analytics company founded in 2018 as a Technical University of Munich spinoff. The company builds LIFTBOT, a battery-powered, remote-controlled vertical material lifting system designed to replace cranes and manual handling chains on industrial sites. LIFTBOT operates at 138 ft/min, handles up to 13,000 lbs per lift with a three-person crew, reaches 165 ft working height, functions in wind speeds up to 45 mph, and can be set up in 20 minutes by two workers. The system carries CE, UL, and CSA certifications and has been deployed in ATEX-zone conditions via site-specific risk assessments. KEWAZO's technology portfolio comprises three interconnected offerings: LIFTBOT (hardware), KEWAZO ONSITE (a data analytics platform tracking material flow, lift cycles, GPS location, and utilization metrics with benchmarking against industry averages), and KEWAZO CARE (a training, maintenance, and support program). The company operates under the brands LIFTBOT, KEWAZO ONSITE, and KEWAZO CARE, and is led by co-founder and CEO Artem Kuchukov with co-founder Eirini Psallida as Head of Software and Heitor Gartner as President of KEWAZO Inc. (North America).

KEWAZO initially targeted construction and scaffolding markets but executed a strategic pivot around 2024 toward heavy industry automation—refineries, petrochemical plants, chemical complexes, and power facilities—where centralized decision-making, dedicated maintenance budgets, and stronger safety incentives accelerated robotics adoption. The company distributes through direct enterprise sales (offices in Munich and Houston) and through industrial service provider partners including BrandSafway, Altrad, Kiewit, and Bilfinger. Revenue derives from three streams: LIFTBOT equipment sales (hardware bundle), a Robots-as-a-Service (HaaS) offering that lowers capital barriers, and KEWAZO CARE professional services. Pricing is quote-based with multi-year contract cadences and 1–2 week pilot programs. Total funding reached $35 million across multiple rounds, with the $16 million Series A extension in March 2026 led by Schooner Capital and joined by strategic investors Chevron Technology Ventures and Asahi Kasei.

Name

KEWAZO

Legal name

KEWAZO GmbH

Website

https://kewazo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KEWAZO builds LIFTBOT, a battery-powered robotic vertical material lifting system, and the ONSITE data analytics platform to replace cranes at refineries, petrochemical plants, and chemical complexes during maintenance and turnarounds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Robotics & Automation

NAICS

Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923), Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924), Construction, Transportation, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53241)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Cranes, Hoists & Overhead Material Handling (Industrial) (IMAHABAE)

Keywords

• Construction robotics
• Industrial lifting automation
• Robotic material handling
• Construction site automation
• Industrial maintenance robotics

Headquarters

HQ city

Garching Bei München

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. LIFTBOT Equipment Sales: Direct sale of LIFTBOT robotic lifting systems to industrial customers and service providers. Includes hardware bundle with robotic module, remote controllers, rail system, battery and charging station, and interchangeable transportation platforms.
2. Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS): Flexible deployment model allowing customers to use LIFTBOT without upfront capital investment. KEWAZO profiled as HaaS company offering service-based models. Includes training, annual maintenance, emergency support, hotline, and best practices through KEWAZO CARE program.
3. KEWAZO CARE Support Services: Comprehensive support program including training, annual maintenance, emergency support, hotline, and best practices. Training conducted by certified service engineers, typically 2 hours covering theory and hands-on installation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KEWAZO sells LIFTBOT, a battery-powered, remote-controlled robotic lifting system that replaces cranes and manual handling chains for vertical material transport on industrial sites during maintenance, turnarounds, and capital projects. The offering is bundled with KEWAZO ONSITE, a data analytics platform that tracks lift cycles, transported weight, operating time, GPS, and utilization in real time, and KEWAZO CARE, a support program covering training, annual maintenance, emergency support, and best practices. Deployment is available via direct equipment purchase or Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS).

Product overview

KEWAZO offers a unified product portfolio consisting of three interconnected components: LIFTBOT (the core battery-powered robotic lifting system for vertical material transport), KEWAZO ONSITE (the companion data analytics platform providing real-time operational visibility), and KEWAZO CARE (the support program covering training, maintenance, and emergency services). LIFTBOT serves as the primary hardware product while ONSITE provides software intelligence, and both are supported by KEWAZO CARE for comprehensive customer success.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LIFTBOT: Battery-powered robotic lifting system that replaces cranes and manual handling during maintenance, turnarounds, and capital projects. It automates vertical material transport, improving safety and efficiency on industrial sites.
• KEWAZO ONSITE
• KEWAZO CARE

Products and services

• LIFTBOT Battery-powered, remote-controlled robotic lifting system that automates vertical material movement on industrial sites during maintenance, turnarounds, and capital projects, replacing cranes and manual handling. It operates at 138 ft/min, handles up to 13,000 lbs average with a 3-person crew over an 8-hour shift, is certified up to 165 ft working height, operates in wind up to 45 mph, and can be set up by two workers in 20 minutes. Sold as a complete hardware bundle including robotic module, remote controllers, rail system, battery and charging station, and interchangeable transportation platforms.
• KEWAZO ONSITE Data analytics platform providing real-time transparency into on-site activities via live operational data. Tracks transported weight, lift cycles, operating time, real-time height, GPS location, and utilization metrics from LIFTBOT deployments, enabling productivity benchmarking against industry averages.
• KEWAZO CARE Comprehensive support program covering training, annual maintenance, emergency support, hotline services, and best practices sharing to maximize LIFTBOT uptime. Training is delivered by certified service engineers, typically a 2-hour session covering theory and hands-on installation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Chevron El Segundo: $988,240 savings, 4,000+ hazardous man-hours eliminated, 30% schedule reduction
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• AFPM (American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Trade association representing U.S. refining and petrochemical industries (95 refineries, 16M+ bbl/day capacity). KEWAZO joined as official member after two years of conference attendance. Strong engagement with executives from Phillips 66, ExxonMobil, Marathon, Valero, HF Sinclair, CHS. Platform for industry leadership engagement on safety, efficiency, and automation.
• BrandSafwayflagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMajor industrial service provider deploying LIFTBOT at Chevron El Segundo and other North American sites. Scott Holmes, VP Capital Projects, participated in SAIA 2025 panel discussing LIFTBOT benefits. Deploys multiple LIFTBOT units for scaffold erection and maintenance work.
• AltradflagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLeading scaffolding and industrial services provider. Deployed LIFTBOT at BASF Antwerpen (75m tower dismantling), Nobian chemical site in Netherlands (75% crew reduction), and multiple Benelux/Spain sites. Patrick Breyne, CEO Benelux and Spain, discussed automation benefits for industrial maintenance at industry conferences.
• KiewitcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMajor engineering and construction company. Deployed LIFTBOT alongside KEWAZO at CP Chem Orange for reinsulation scope, achieving 22% schedule reduction.
• BilfingercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndustrial service provider. Joint presentation with KEWAZO at TAR 2026 in Potsdam on robotic material transport during turnarounds. Deployments at ExxonMobil Baytown and Flint Hills Resources sites. Jonas Lerchenmüller and Denis Edelhof presented on LIFTBOT benefits at industrial sites.
• SAIA (Scaffold & Access Industry Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading industry association for scaffold and access sector. KEWAZO participated in SAIA 2025 panel discussion with Scott Holmes (BrandSafway), Matt Petersen (SDB Contracting), and Jeremy Trask (CSI). Company featured in Scaffold & Access Magazine cover story 'The Long Climb'.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Built Robotics: San Francisco-based robotics company developing autonomous equipment for construction and heavy-industry job sites. Directly comparable to KEWAZO in targeting construction/industrial automation with robotic hardware, though Built focuses on earthmoving equipment rather than vertical material lifting.
• Canvas: Construction robotics company that has developed robotic systems for drywall finishing on job sites. Comparable as a construction/industrial robotics startup pursuing on-site automation, though Canvas operates in a different trade workflow than KEWAZO's vertical material transport.
• Advanced Construction Robotics: Pittsburgh-based robotics startup building material-handling and rebar-tying robots for construction sites. Closely comparable in business model as a robotics company selling automated material-handling equipment to construction and industrial customers.
• Toggle (acquired by Trimble): Construction robotics startup (now part of Trimble) that developed robotic rebar-tying and material-handling systems. Directly comparable as a construction robotics startup targeting automation of repetitive manual site tasks.
• Dusty Robotics: Construction robotics company offering the FieldPrinter robot for automated layout on job sites. Comparable as a venture-backed construction robotics company selling robotic hardware to contractors and asset owners.
• Formic: Chicago-based RaaS provider offering industrial robots (welding, palletizing, machine tending) on a subscription basis to manufacturers. Closely comparable on the Robots-as-a-Service business model and industrial end-market focus, though addressing different use cases.
• Rapid Robotics: San Francisco-based RaaS provider of pre-configured industrial robots for manufacturing operations. Comparable as a venture-backed RaaS industrial robotics company targeting labor-constrained industrial customers.

Broad incumbents

• Sarcos Technology and Robotics: Publicly-listed industrial robotics company developing exoskeletons and robotic systems for construction, maintenance, and industrial operations. Comparable in industrial robotics and physical-AI focus, with broader scope and a public-company capital base.
• Manitowoc Company: Long-established manufacturer of crawler cranes and industrial lifting equipment used in construction and heavy industry. Comparable as a provider of industrial lifting equipment to the same end customers KEWAZO serves, though focused on traditional cranes rather than autonomous robotic material transport.
• Liebherr: Major global manufacturer of tower cranes, mobile cranes, and material-handling machinery serving construction and industrial customers. Comparable as a heavy-lifting equipment incumbent to the same end markets; potential competitor if it develops autonomous or robotic material-handling solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kewazo
• Xx.com/kewazorobotics
• Facebookfacebook.com/kewazo

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors14 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KEWAZO