NOMADD

What NOMADD does

NOMADD Desert Solar Solutions is a Saudi Arabian cleantech company founded in 2012 as a spin-off from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and headquartered at the KAUST Research & Technology Park in Thuwal. The company designs, develops and sells fully autonomous, waterless robotic systems that clean photovoltaic (PV) solar panels in harsh desert environments. Its core technology is the NOMADD robot, which uses a patented 'Cleaning Angle' mechanism with pivoting brush endpoints, runs on array understructure rather than the panel surface, and is powered by only two direct-drive motors housed in a single head unit. The portfolio spans four product variants — Fixed Tilt, Rooftop, 1P Edge Runner and 2P Edge Runner — and is complemented by the CHIEF Command and Control System for remote monitoring, automated cleaning cycles, fault detection and sandstorm-protection logic. The system is rated 99.5% as effective as water-based cleaning and is designed for a 25-year operational life.

NOMADD generates revenue through direct enterprise sales of its robotic cleaning systems to PV developers and EPC companies operating in the MENA region, supplemented by recurring revenue from the CHIEF software platform, after-sales installation and maintenance services, and bundled dust-mitigation offerings. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; customers are quoted a 3-year payback period as the headline economic case. The company has raised approximately $7.83M across four funding rounds (2012–2018) from KAUST Innovation Fund, DSM Venturing and CEPCO, the latter leading a $5M Series B in November 2018 to scale commercialization. The technology incorporates licensed Aramco R&D technology and the company holds a 61% Local Content rating from the Saudi Arabian Local Content and Government Procurement Authority. Known commercial deployments include a Dubai commercial rooftop installation (the first commercial-scale order, April 2018); broader installed-base scale is not publicly disclosed.

Name

NOMADD

Legal name

NOMADD Desert Solar Solutions

Website

https://nomaddesertsolar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NOMADD Desert Solar Solutions is a Saudi Arabian cleantech company that designs and sells waterless autonomous robotic cleaning systems for photovoltaic solar panels in desert environments, serving PV developers and EPC companies in the MENA region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Panel Cleaning Robotics

akta.pro primary industry

Solar Panel Cleaning (HSAEAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Window & Surface Cleaning Robots (CRACARAD)

Keywords

• Solar panel cleaning
• Robotic cleaning systems
• Waterless dust removal
• Desert solar automation
• Photovoltaic maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Jeddah

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

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. Robotic Cleaning Systems (Hardware Sales): Sale of fully automated waterless solar panel cleaning robots. Multiple product variants are offered: Fixed Tilt Installation, Rooftop Installation, 1P Edge Runner, and 2P Edge Runner. Robots are partially disassembled, secured and packed for shipping, with NOMADD engineers providing assembly and installation support at customer sites.
2. Software as a Service (CHIEF Control System): Remote monitoring, control, and data analytics through the CHIEF Command and Control System. Offered as part of an integrated solution, providing two-way data transmission, cleaning cycle management, fault detection, and performance reporting for deployed robot fleets.
3. After-Sales Services and Maintenance: Full step shipping process with Factory Acceptance Testing before shipping. On-site assembly and installation support by NOMADD engineers. Professional data collection and analysis team and desert test area services are also provided.
4. Dust Mitigation Services: Services including provision of a secure desert test area, professional data collection and analysis team, and fully installed NOMADD system. Sold as a bundled offering alongside the robotic cleaning solution.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

NOMADD designs, manufactures, and sells fully autonomous, waterless robotic cleaning systems for photovoltaic solar panels operating in harsh desert environments. The robots use a patented 'Cleaning Angle' mechanism, run on array understructure (not on panel surfaces), and are available in Fixed Tilt, Rooftop, 1P Edge Runner, and 2P Edge Runner variants. The portfolio is complemented by the CHIEF Command and Control software system for remote monitoring and management, plus installation, training, and after-sales services.

Product overview

NOMADD offers a unified portfolio of fully autonomous water-less robotic solar panel cleaning systems designed specifically for harsh desert environments. The core offering centers on the NOMADD robot with its patented 'Cleaning Angle' mechanism and pivoting brush endpoints. The portfolio includes four product variants (Fixed Tilt Installation, Rooftop Installation, 1P Edge Runner, and 2P Edge Runner) serving different solar array configurations. All products are supported by the CHIEF Command and Control System, which provides real-time monitoring, remote control capabilities, fault detection, and automated cleaning cycle scheduling. The system operates on array understructure rather than panel surfaces, ensuring zero panel damage while using no water.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CHIEF: NOMADD's intelligent command and control system for tracking robots on solar sites. CHIEF provides real-time detailed readings for each robot, general overview of cleaning performance, ability to control robots remotely from anywhere in the world via phone, tablets and laptops. It includes intelligent logic to protect PV panels and robots from dangerous natural events like sandstorms, and includes fault detection with detailed descriptions.

Products and services

• NOMADD Fixed Tilt Installation Autonomous waterless robotic cleaning solution for fixed tilt photovoltaic solar arrays, designed for a 25-year operational life with zero panel surface damage.
• NOMADD Rooftop Installation Lightweight, durable, high-wind-proof rooftop solar cleaning robot that runs on a rail connected to the roof mounting structure rather than on the panel surface, tested in harsh Middle Eastern climates.
• NOMADD 1P Edge Runner Fully tracker-compatible NOMADD cleaning robot built on the proven core design, mounted on an 8-wheel-drive chassis that delivers unparalleled misalignment advantages and maximum flexibility.
• NOMADD 2P Edge Runner Most versatile NOMADD cleaning robot, fully tracker compatible with all proven core NOMADD design elements and able to run on both fixed tilt and tracker installations.
• NOMADD CHIEF Command and Control System Intelligent software platform that provides real-time detailed readings for each NOMADD robot, general cleaning performance overview, worldwide remote control via phone, tablet, or laptop, intelligent sandstorm protection logic, fault detection, offline operation, and ~3 months of base-station data storage.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.5% cleaning effectiveness compared to water-based methods
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ecoppia: Israel-based developer of waterless, autonomous robotic cleaning systems for utility-scale solar PV arrays, the closest direct competitor to NOMADD with a similar desert-focused value proposition and multi-GW installed base.
• SunBrush Mörmann: Germany-based manufacturer of mobile and tracker-mounted robotic cleaning machines for utility-scale solar plants, directly comparable in target customer (PV developers, EPCs) and product category (automated panel cleaning).
• Serbot Group (GEKKO Solar): Swiss maker of the GEKKO Solar robot for autonomous waterless cleaning of large-scale PV installations, comparable to NOMADD in serving utility-scale developers with automated, waterless panel-cleaning technology.
• SolarCleano: Maker of robotic cleaning systems for solar PV, including autonomous and semi-autonomous units designed for utility-scale arrays, overlapping with NOMADD's product category and customer segment.
• Miraikikai: Japanese manufacturer of robotic solar panel cleaning machines (e.g., Windy), a direct competitor focused on autonomous, waterless cleaning for large PV installations across Asia and other regions.

Broad incumbents

• KUKA: Global industrial robotics and automation incumbent with deep balance sheet and manufacturing scale; overlapping capabilities in autonomous robotics could be extended into solar cleaning as the category matures.
• ABB Robotics: Large diversified industrial automation and robotics player whose autonomous platforms and global service network could enter the solar-cleaning robotics niche, putting pressure on specialist players like NOMADD.
• FANUC: Global leader in industrial robotics with extensive manufacturing and automation expertise; a potential entrant into specialized solar-cleaning automation, broadly comparable in robotics technology stack.
• Yaskawa: Major industrial robotics and motion-control incumbent with significant global footprint; overlaps with NOMADD at the robotics architecture level and represents a credible large-scale competitor if it enters solar cleaning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Nomaddsolutions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors3 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 NOMADD