Contoro Robotics, based in Austin, Texas, has successfully raised $12 million in a Series A funding round to enhance its AI-powered trailer and container unloading robots.

This funding round attracted notable investors, including Doosan, Coupang, and the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, bringing Contoro's total funding to $22 million.

The company aims to tackle the challenges associated with unloading multi-SKU, floor-loaded trailers, which are known for being labor-intensive and unpredictable.

CEO Mok Yun emphasized the need for automation in unloading, advocating for a shift from manual labor to more strategic roles in warehouses.

Early deployments of Contoro's robots have reportedly doubled unloading speeds and saved clients hundreds of man hours each month.

The robots achieve a remarkable 99% success rate in unloading operations by utilizing customer-specific AI models tailored to various scenarios.

To facilitate adoption, Contoro offers a pay-per-container pricing model, which lowers upfront costs and makes automation more accessible.

Investors are increasingly drawn to Contoro due to ongoing labor shortages and rising operational costs in the logistics industry, highlighting the demand for scalable robotics solutions.

Franziska Bossart from the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund praised Contoro's innovative technology for effectively addressing the labor-intensive nature of trailer unloading.

Contoro's Duo-Grasp end-effector enhances the robots' reliability by enabling them to handle a wider variety of box sizes and weights.

With the new funding, Contoro plans to scale its robot fleet, enter new logistics markets, and develop an AI-driven palletizing system for broader applications.

Overall, Contoro Robotics is poised to revolutionize unloading operations in warehouses, leveraging advanced technology to improve efficiency and safety.