Urban Machine

Addressing the significant issue of wood waste in the construction industry, Urban Machine operates as a robotics company focused on reclaiming lumber from construction and demolition (C&D) sites. The company was established in late 2021 by co-founders Eric Law (CEO), Andrew Gillies (CTO), and Alex Thiele (Lead Software Engineer). The idea originated when Law, then Senior Director of Innovation at Swinerton, identified the vast amounts of wood discarded annually and questioned why it couldn't be recycled like steel or concrete. Law's background in construction software and hardware solutions, combined with Gillies' experience in robotics and Thiele's software engineering expertise, formed the foundation of the company.

Urban Machine's core business involves deploying a mobile, robotic system, referred to as "The Machine," directly to job sites or resource facilities. This system utilizes artificial intelligence, computer vision, and patented robotics to detect and extract metal fasteners—such as nails, staples, and screws—from salvaged wood. The process begins with AI and computer vision locating the metals, followed by patented end effectors removing them. A final metal detector check ensures the lumber is free of contaminants before it is repurposed. This technology enables the reclamation of dimensional lumber, Glulam, and heavy timber, processing up to 16,000 board feet per day. By making reclaimed lumber processing cost-competitive with virgin lumber, the company targets a significant market opportunity, aiming to capture a portion of the 37 million tons of wood waste generated annually in the U.S.

The company's business model is twofold. Initially, Urban Machine focuses on selling the salvaged lumber it processes to clients like furniture makers, lumber yards, and contractors. A long-term strategy includes the potential to transition into selling the technology itself. The company offers its robotic system for rent to demolition contractors, developers, and architects, providing a direct service to reduce landfill use and create a revenue stream from waste materials. This approach fosters a circular economy by transforming waste into high-quality, locally sourced building products. Since its founding, Urban Machine has secured significant funding, including a $1.7M pre-seed round in November 2021 and a $5.6M seed round in December 2022, with notable investors like Lowercarbon Capital, GV (formerly Google Ventures), Union Labs, and Catapult Ventures. The company has iterated through several prototypes of its machine, with the fourth version entering field testing in mid-2023.

Keywords: wood reclamation, construction technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, circular economy, sustainable construction, lumber recycling, demolition waste, cleantech, wood waste solutions, automated deconstruction, salvaged lumber, green building materials, construction robotics, waste reduction, proptech, sustainable materials, resource recovery, environmental technology, ConTech