Chennai-based Vividobots raises ₹1.47 crore to develop robots for construction industry
Chennai-headquartered Vividobots, a robotic automation startup, has raised ₹1.47 crore in a seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The funds will be utilised to enhance product innovation and expand vertical-specific robotic deployments.
Founded in 2021 by postgraduate engineers Dhinesh B. (Chief Executive Officer), Velmurugan B. (Chief Product Officer), and Kesavaraj S. (Chief Technology Officer), Vividobots was born out of a tragic incident involving a painter's fall. This moment of vulnerability inspired the trio to innovate for real-world impact. With backgrounds at Flipkart, Air Defence Agency, and TCS, respectively, the founders wanted to cater to the construction sector, which is booming.
'During our college days, an incident occurred wherein a painter slipped and fell from the first floor. It was a minor accident. However, this incident sparked an idea that became the foundation for our final-year project. Today, we've turned that idea into a thriving startup. We are developing robots specifically designed for exterior tasks, particularly for high-rise buildings. These robots can be used for painting and facade cleaning,' Mr. Dhinesh told The Hindu. 'We are also exploring plastering applications. Currently, we have a prototype, and this funding will be used to further develop the product,' he added.
Mr. Dhinesh further said: 'We are targeting the construction sector, where our robots will help reduce both costs and construction time. Initially, we are looking at servicing model where we will rent out the robots.' The team has also filed for a patent for their product.
Currently, the startup is operational in Chennai, with plans to scale into other metros where real estate growth and vertical maintenance are surging. The startup's robotic systems deliver up to 70% time savings, 50% cost reduction, and 15% lower material wastage.
The Indian market for painting and cleaning services is estimated at $4.46 billion Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM), with a total addressable market (TAM) of $178.7 billion. Globally, the SOM is $ 45 billion, with a projected TAM of $1.56 trillion, showing the immense opportunity for automation in this sector.
According to Mr. Dhinesh, the startup had received small funding earlier from Entrepreneurship Development Innovation Institute-Tamil Nadu (EDII-TN) funded through Innovation voucher program (IVP)-A in 2020-2022 (₹2.5 lakh) and IVP-B 2023-2024 (₹5 lakh). It also got funding from Startup India Seed fund scheme (SISFS) funded through Sathyabama-TBI (₹15 lakh) and ₹10 lakh from Nidhi Seed Support Scheme (Nidhi-SSS).
Vikram Ramasubramanian, Partner and CIO, Inflection Point Ventures, said, 'As real estate in India continues to boom, high-rise buildings are becoming increasingly common and so are the challenges that come with maintaining them. Vividobots is tackling this head-on with innovative robotic solutions that make exterior maintenance of the building safer and more efficient.'
Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) is an angel investing platform with over 23,500 CXOs, HNIs, and professionals. The firm supports new-age entrepreneurs by providing them with monetary and experiential capital and connecting them with a diverse group of investors.
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