Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corp., a Canada-based Robotic AI startup, has closed a $58.5 million Series A funding round from Verizon Ventures, Bell, Evok Innovations, Magna, Export Development Canada, and a handful of other corporate giants.
Sanctuary Corp incorporates AI, cognition, computer vision, theoretical physics, machine learning, and quantum computing technologies to create general-purpose robots with human-like intelligence. These robots can interact and learn from humans. The company pitches them as a potential aid for complicated and dangerous jobs and makes up for labor shortages.
“With unfilled vacancies, workplace safety considerations, increasing employee turnover, worldwide aging populations, and declining workplace participation, one thing is clear: many labor-related challenges are outside the scope of current specialized AI and robotics technology,” Sanctuary CEO Geordie Rose said.
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Unlike other AI companies that are developing robots for a single task, Sanctuary corp aims to design robots capable of performing a wide range of tasks across various verticals and industries with the recently closed Series A funding. These robots will be piloted by humans or can work entirely independently but with a human operator’s supervision.
The company’s team is to improve safety at the workplace by enabling these general-purpose robots to undertake dangerous activities that humans normally carry out. For example, people can use robots to sterilize hospital rooms or clear mind fields in conflict zones.
Founded in 2018 by Geordie Rose, Olivia Norton, Suzanne Gildert, and Ajay Agrawal. Sanctuary also plans to develop technology and robots to help humans explore, settle, and prosper beyond Earth.
