- USD $11M raised to help the company meet its goal of revitalizing local manufacturing industries
- Investors include Lavrock Ventures, Squadra Ventures, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Cox Exponential, Ericsson Ventures and the Scottish National Investment Bank
El Segundo, CA and Edinburgh, UK – Launchpad, the AI-first robotics company powering real-world assembly automation, today announced that it had successfully concluded a Series A funding round raising a total of USD $11 million.
The funds will be used to accelerate the development of Launchpad’s innovative technology whilst meeting demand from existing and new customers in the US, UK and Europe. The round was co-led by Lavrock Ventures and Squadra Ventures, with participation from strategic and financial investors including Ericsson Ventures, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Cox Exponential and the Scottish National Investment Bank. This is in addition to the USD 2.5 million in grant funding awarded to Launchpad by Scottish Enterprise.
Launchpad’s technology is reimagining the manufacturing industry with AI and advanced robotics to power firms’ critical automation strategies. This is a sector experiencing significant challenges in attracting and retaining talent. According to Deloitte, the US manufacturing industry could have up to 1.9 million unfilled positions by 2033.
While robotics have the potential to address this workforce challenge, the expense of traditional systems remains a barrier to adoption, particularly for small- to medium-sized firms. Recent figures from the International Federation of robotics show a 9% drop in robot installations in the US over 2024. Launchpad, which has a new R&D center in Edinburgh, Scotland, has invested in advanced AI tools which the company estimates halve the time and cost of delivering automation solutions.
Jon Quick, CEO of Launchpad, said, “Launchpad has built a technology that is helping manufacturers manage the optimal integration of humans and robots. We see AI tools, such as those being pioneered by Launchpad, as reimagining the manufacturing industry and revitalizing local economies.”
Steve Smoot, Managing Partner at Lavrock Investors, said, “We are proud to invest our capital and time in support of Launchpad’s quest for a more innovative, automated, resilient future in advanced manufacturing. The company has an impressive track record, proven management team, and clear vision of what it will take to make a lasting impact in this dynamic and extremely important industry.”
Guy Filippelli, Managing Partner at Squadra Ventures, said, “Since 2020, America has lost more than a quarter of its manufacturing jobs. The message is clear: cost matters. With Launchpad, we’re rewriting that story – using AI to build a new era of globally competitive domestic manufacturing that can win and lead the future.”
Adrian Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer of Scottish Enterprise, said, “With its R&D center in Edinburgh, Launchpad is able to draw on Scotland’s long-standing academic, technical and entrepreneurial strengths. The company has quickly become an influential part of the Scottish innovation community, and we look forward to supporting its next growth phase.”
About Launchpad
Launchpad, founded in 2020, was created to reimagine manufacturing and revitalize local economies. The company addresses labor shortages and improves competitiveness by combining proprietary AI-first technology with advanced robotics to help firms manage the optimal integration of humans and robots. It estimates its systems halve the time and cost of delivering automation solutions. With offices in Los Angeles, CA, and Edinburgh, UK, Launchpad’s technology is already deployed in factories across the US and Europe