What Freespace Robotics does

Freespace Robotics is a Pittsburgh-based warehouse automation company that designs and manufactures a high-density automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) branded as the Order Fulfillment Cube. Founded in 2022 as a spin-out of Carnegie Foundry—the robotics venture studio operating inside Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC)—the company serves large-scale warehousing, distribution, grocery, defense logistics, 3PL, and retail customers. The flagship product consolidates storing, retrieving, sorting, buffering, staging, and sequencing functions into a single modular cube, replacing external conveyors, forklifts, and manual material handling workflows. All customer references are undisclosed with the exception of Matthews Automation Solutions, which purchased a flagship system for its newly launched Atlanta center in September 2025.

The system's core technology is the proprietary EcoShuffle robotic carrier design, in which paired carriers approach two rows simultaneously and shuffle goods clockwise or counterclockwise to the nearest exit, selecting the fastest retrieval path. Power rails supply continuous energy to the carriers, eliminating battery dependency, charging downtime, and battery recycling overhead, and supporting payloads up to 100 pounds and vertical storage up to 70 feet. The rack architecture is modular and brownfield-friendly, allowing the system to wrap around columns, accommodate uneven flooring, and extend later as capacity needs grow. Integration with Manhattan, Oracle, and SAP WMS platforms is delivered through Matthews' NEXUS WES layer, with proprietary CASi-IBOD rack infrastructure from CASI and proprietary trays from Monoflo International completing the hardware stack.

Freespace generates revenue primarily through enterprise capital sales of AS/RS hardware systems, supplemented by professional services for installation and integration, and likely recurring maintenance and support contracts. The company sells through direct enterprise field sales and through channel partners Fives Intralogistics (global), Matthews Automation Solutions (North America), and CASI (manufacturing collaboration). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the SEC Form D filing indicated a minimum outside-investor threshold of $250,000, consistent with high-ticket custom enterprise deployments. Concept-to-commissioning cycles are described as 6-8 months. To date the company has raised at least approximately $11.55M in cumulative funding across Carnegie Foundry seed, NFI Ventures Series A, a $6.55M Reg D offering, a $5M U.S. Steel strategic investment, and an undisclosed Matthews strategic investment.

Name

Freespace Robotics

Legal name

FREESPACE ROBOTICS INC.

Website

https://freespacerobotics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Freespace Robotics is a Pittsburgh-based warehouse automation company that builds a high-density automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) using proprietary EcoShuffle carrier robots on power rails, serving enterprise warehousing, distribution, grocery, defense logistics, 3PL, and retail operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Warehouse Automation Equipment

NAICS

Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392)

SIC

Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)

akta.pro primary industry

Warehouse Automation Systems (AS/RS, Shuttle Systems, Vertical Lift Modules) (IMAHABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Warehouse Robotics (HDAAAIAA), Robot Software, Autonomy Stacks & Simulation (ROS, digital twins) (HDAAAIAK)

Keywords

• Warehouse automation systems
• Automated storage retrieval
• Robotic material handling
• Goods-to-person systems
• Order fulfillment technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Monroeville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. AS/RS Hardware Systems: Sale of autonomous storage and retrieval systems including carrier robots, rack infrastructure, and power rail systems as capital equipment purchases
2. Professional Services: Implementation, installation, and integration services for system deployment
3. Ongoing Maintenance and Support: Likely recurring maintenance and support services for installed systems (inferred from enterprise sales model)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Freespace Robotics designs, manufactures, and sells the Freespace Order Fulfillment AS/RS Cube, a high-density, high-speed automated storage and retrieval system that consolidates storing, retrieving, sorting, buffering, staging, and sequencing functions into a single modular cube. The system uses proprietary EcoShuffle robotic carrier pairs operating on energy-efficient power rails to move goods without battery dependency, supporting payloads up to 100 pounds and heights up to 70 feet for warehouse and distribution operators.

Product overview

Freespace Robotics offers a single unified product: the Freespace Order Fulfillment AS/RS Cube—a high-density, high-speed automated storage and retrieval system that integrates multiple warehouse functions (storing, retrieving, sorting, buffering, staging, and sequencing) into one compact, modular cube. The system is powered by the proprietary EcoShuffle robotic carrier technology and can be paired with Matthews Automation Solutions' NEXUS Warehouse Execution System for enhanced workflow orchestration. The modular rack design expands vertically and horizontally to meet capacity expansion needs. The company also offers the Gateway pilot program for customers seeking to evaluate the technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freespace Order Fulfillment AS/RS Cube A high-density, high-speed automated storage and retrieval system that consolidates storing, retrieving, sorting, buffering, staging, and sequencing functions into a single modular cube for warehouse operators. Supports payloads up to 100 pounds, heights up to 70 feet, and operates in both greenfield and brownfield environments, with robotic Carrier systems performing simultaneous put-away and retrieval in under 40 seconds per deep-lane retrieval.
• EcoShuffle Robotic Carrier System Proprietary robotic carrier technology that moves goods within the Freespace cube using paired robots that approach two rows simultaneously and shuffle goods in an energy-efficient manner, clockwise or counterclockwise to the nearest exit depending on the fastest path to retrieve goods. Operates on power rails eliminating battery dependency.
• Gateway Pilot Program A pilot system program that provides customers a pathway to evaluate and adopt Freespace Robotics technology, offering productivity improvements in less warehouse footprint before committing to full-scale deployment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100-pound payload capacity per carrier robot
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fives IntralogisticscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Teaming agreement with Fives Intralogistics providing channel partnership for broader market reach. Fives offers intralogistics expertise and global distribution capabilities complementing Freespace's AS/RS technology.
• Matthews Automation SolutionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic channel partner providing warehouse automation solutions integration. Expanded relationship includes direct purchase of warehouse solution incorporating Freespace technology.
• Carnegie FoundrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and venture studio that spun out Freespace Robotics. Provides access to robotics research, development expertise, and talent through the Carnegie Mellon University affiliation. Located at NREC facility.
• Cornerstone Automation Systems (CASI)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerManufacturing collaboration partner for production of automated systems components.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Symbotic: Symbotic builds AI-enabled robotic warehouse automation systems for retailers and wholesalers, including AS/RS and goods-to-person solutions. It is a directly comparable AS/RS competitor with a similar focus on integrated automation cubes and a much larger installed base and public-market capitalization.
• AutoStore: AutoStore pioneered the cube-based AS/RS with robots operating on top of a grid-stacked bin system, serving retailers, 3PLs, and grocers globally. It is the closest architectural competitor to Freespace's dynamic deep-lane cube and competes for the same enterprise customers.

Broad incumbents

• Dematic: Dematic (a KION Group company) is a broad incumbent offering AS/RS, conveyors, sortation, and WMS/WCS software to global warehouse operators. It competes with Freespace on integrated warehouse projects but as part of a much larger portfolio rather than a focused cube solution.
• Swisslog: Swisslog (KUKA Group) provides AS/RS, AutoStore-based solutions, goods-to-person robotics, and software for warehouses in retail, grocery, and healthcare. It overlaps with Freespace on AS/RS and micro-fulfillment but operates at significantly larger scale across many automation categories.
• Honeywell Intelligrated: Honeywell Intelligrated delivers integrated warehouse execution, AS/RS, conveyor, and sortation solutions to large distribution centers. It competes with Freespace on full-stack warehouse projects but as part of Honeywell's broader automation portfolio.

Emerging players

• Berkshire Grey: Berkshire Grey develops AI-enabled robotic picking, sortation, and AS/RS solutions for retail, e-commerce, and logistics customers. It is an emerging peer pursuing integrated warehouse automation with a similar enterprise customer profile to Freespace.
• Exotec: Exotec builds the Skypod goods-to-person AS/RS using mobile robots that climb racks to retrieve bins, serving retail, grocery, and 3PL customers globally. It is an emerging competitor in the same cube/AS/RS category targeting Freespace's enterprise customer base.
• Hai Robotics: Hai Robotics offers the HaiPick automated storage and retrieval system using tote-to-person robots for warehouses and factories worldwide. It competes with Freespace for high-density AS/RS deals in e-commerce, 3PL, and manufacturing segments.
• Geek+: Geek+ provides mobile robots, goods-to-person systems, and warehouse automation for retail, 3PL, and manufacturing customers globally. It is an emerging competitor with overlapping AS/RS and mobile-robot capabilities to Freespace's product portfolio.
• Locus Robotics: Locus Robotics deploys autonomous mobile robots for goods-to-person picking in retail, 3PL, and manufacturing warehouses. It is an adjacent emerging player addressing similar labor-shortage and throughput pain points, though focused on picking rather than high-density cube AS/RS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freespace-robotics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 Freespace Robotics