Subterra AI

Subterra AI provides artificial intelligence-driven solutions for inspecting and managing sewer networks. The company was founded in 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Robert Lee. Lee, a geologist from Australia, had a background in documenting mine sites using photogrammetry and 3D mapping. This experience led him to address the challenges of sewer inspections, which inspired the formation of Subterra AI after completing the Pipeline H2O accelerator in Cincinnati in 2017.

The company developed a mapping and intelligence platform to digitize underground infrastructure. Its core technology includes a cloud-based platform, "Terralytics," which is camera-agnostic and allows users to import, store, view, and analyze video inspection data. This system turns action cameras into inspection tools, with capabilities for 360-degree video capture and on-screen telemetry providing location and distance information. One of its key products was the "SewerScout," a floating, untethered robot designed for rapid condition assessments in gravity-fed sanitary sewers. The platform enables clients, such as municipalities and private sewer owners, to monitor pipelines regularly and affordably, detecting issues like obstructions and cracks before they lead to major failures.

In July 2022, Subterra AI raised $1.42 million in a seed funding round from investors including XTX Ventures and Anorak Ventures to accelerate its growth in North America. By June 2023, the total funding raised reached $2.22 million. In 2024, the startup was acquired by IDEX Corporation for $7.5 million. Following the acquisition, the technology was integrated into a product named FlowSIGHT by Subterra, with Robert Lee and his team remaining to continue development and scaling of the technology.

Keywords: underground infrastructure, sewer inspection, AI platform, infrastructure monitoring, pipeline assessment, 3D mapping, robotics, computer vision, cloud platform, wastewater management, asset management, data analytics, predictive maintenance, remote inspection, subterranean intelligence, FlowSIGHT, Terralytics, SewerScout, smart city technology, utility management