Pivot Robots

Pivot Robots provides AI-powered software for industrial robotic arms, designed to automate labor-intensive tasks in high-mix manufacturing environments. The company was founded in 2023 by Carnegie Mellon University graduates Siddharth Girdhar and Vignesh Rajmohan and is a participant in Y Combinator's Winter 2024 cohort. The founders possess extensive experience in AI and robotics, having worked at companies like Meta, Google, Uber, and Nimble Robotics. Their shared background at Carnegie Mellon and professional experience in robotics inspired them to address real-world labor challenges in manufacturing and agriculture.

The company's core technology is an AI vision control software that enables off-the-shelf robots to adapt to variations in parts without requiring new programming for each type, a significant challenge for traditional automation. Its initial product, Proteus, focuses on automating hazardous and unpopular tasks like the surface grinding of metal parts in foundries. The system uses advanced vision and AI to scan parts, identify defects like burrs and flash based on CAD models, and automatically generate the correct grinding path. This "vision-first" approach allows one system to handle numerous part variations, making it a viable solution for manufacturers with high-mix, low-volume production who previously could not justify the investment in rigid automation.

Pivot Robots is headquartered in San Francisco and serves manufacturers in North America, with plans to expand to other hubs like India. The company aims to address the significant labor shortage in the U.S. manufacturing sector, which is expected to have millions of unfulfilled jobs. In July 2024, the company secured an undisclosed amount of seed funding from NuVentures and Y Combinator to expand its team, particularly in motion planning and computer vision, and to increase robot testing.

Keywords: AI robotics, industrial automation, manufacturing software, high-mix manufacturing, robotic arms, computer vision, surface finishing, metal grinding, adaptive robots, Y Combinator, foundry automation, robotics software, labor shortage solutions, defect detection, motion planning, machine vision, smart factory, Industry 4.0, advanced manufacturing, intelligent automation