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Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Grabit Inc. develops advanced industrial robots utilizing electroadhesion and machine learning to precisely handle diverse materials like textiles, fragile eggs, and automotive glass. These robots, including Stackit and Conveyit, automate complex material handling processes in factories and fulfillment centers, improving efficiency in sectors like apparel and logistics, having originally spun out from SRI International. As of May 2017, Grabit Inc. had raised $25 million in venture funding, attracting investments from notable firms such as Nike, Draper Nexus Ventures, Formation 8, Samsung, and ABB. The company maintains a strategic partnership with Nike and has secured additional customers in the apparel and logistics industries. Jim Kim of Formation 8 serves on its board, though founding year and founder names are not publicly known.
Grabit Inc. has raised $21.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Grabit Inc. has raised $21.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Grabit Inc. has raised $21.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Grabit Inc.'s investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, DHVC (Digital Horizon Capital), DNX Ventures, Felicis Ventures, First Round Capital, Lux Capital, RRE Ventures, Shasta Ventures, Mike Abbott, Shri Ganeshram, Giant Ventures.
Grabit Inc. develops automation solutions using proprietary electroadhesion technology to handle diverse materials in manufacturing and logistics, enabling grippers that manage fragile items, heavy boxes, fabrics, and more without traditional mechanical clamps.[1][2][3][6] The company serves industries like apparel, footwear, automotive, aerospace, retail, and warehousing, solving labor-intensive material handling challenges that consume 60-80% of operations time and resist automation.[3][5][6] With reported revenue of $6.2 million and backing from investors including Formation 8, Draper Nexus, Nike, Samsung, and ABB, Grabit aimed to boost efficiency for Fortune 500 clients, though it faced restructuring in 2019.[3]
Founded in 2011 in Sunnyvale, California (later associated with Santa Clara addresses), Grabit emerged from breakthroughs at SRI International.[1][3][6] Co-founder Harsha Prahlad, Ph.D., principal inventor of electroadhesion, led SRI's Advanced Components Group, licensing the technology to Grabit after contributing to Artificial Muscle, Inc. (acquired by Bayer).[6] Prahlad holds degrees in aerospace and mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland and India.[6] Early traction came from high-profile investors like Nike and Samsung, targeting soft goods and logistics, with products like grippers, smart conveyors, and sorting machines.[3][5] A pivotal challenge was the 2019 restructuring support agreement with its manufacturing partner and lender, signaling financial strain amid expansion efforts.[3]
Grabit stands out in robotics through electroadhesion, a non-contact gripping method using electric fields to adhere materials reversibly, outperforming vacuum or mechanical grippers on porous, uneven, or fragile items.[1][2][4][6]
Grabit rides the warehouse automation and Industry 4.0 wave, addressing e-commerce-driven logistics demands and labor shortages in manufacturing.[1][2][3] Timing aligned with post-2010 robotics investments, as electroadhesion enabled handling of "unautomatable" goods like garments, fueling growth in supply chain robotics amid rising retail and 3PL needs.[1][6] Market forces like automation ROI pressures and Fortune 500 adoption (e.g., Nike, ABB) favored it, influencing ecosystems by pioneering grip tech that complements AMRs and cobots from competitors.[1][3] Its tech pushed boundaries in softgoods automation, though 2019 restructuring highlights funding risks in hardware-heavy robotics.[3]
Grabit redefined material handling with electroadhesion, proving automation's reach into tricky domains like apparel and logistics. Post-2019 restructuring, its trajectory likely paused amid investor pullback and robotics consolidation, with no recent activity signaling acquisition, pivot, or dormancy.[3] Trends like AI-enhanced grippers and sustainable manufacturing could revive similar tech, potentially evolving Grabit's IP through larger players (e.g., ABB integrations). Watch for electroadhesion echoes in next-gen factories—Grabit lit the spark for handling *anything*, anytime.[1][6]
Grabit Inc. has raised $21.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $15.0M Series B in August 2016.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2016 | $15.0M Series B | Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, DHVC (Digital Horizon Capital), DNX Ventures, Felicis Ventures, First Round Capital, Lux Capital, RRE Ventures, Shasta Ventures, Mike Abbott, Shri Ganeshram | |
| Oct 1, 2013 | $6.0M Series A | Giant Ventures, Mark Lewis |
