SwitchOn Raises $8 Million Pre-Series B Funding in Physical AI

Bengaluru-based Physical AI startup SwitchOn has successfully raised $8 million (approximately Rs 78 crore) in a pre-Series B funding round, which was spearheaded by IvyCap Ventures. This funding round also attracted investments from SIG Tattva and Trifecta Capital. This marks the third significant funding achievement for SwitchOn, following previous rounds of $1.1 million in seed funding and $4.2 million in their Series A round.

The newly acquired funds will be allocated for international expansion, enhancement of research and development, and scaling their go-to-market operations within various manufacturing sectors. Founded by Aniruddha Banerjee and Avra Banerjee, SwitchOn creates AI-driven quality inspection systems tailored for manufacturers. Their platform effectively combines computer vision and AI directly into factory machinery to automate the detection of defects and quality assurance checks.

DeepInspect: The Flagship Product of SwitchOn

SwitchOn’s flagship offering, DeepInspect, aids manufacturers in spotting product defects during the production phase, utilising edge-based computer vision technology. The firm highlights that this platform can perform inspections at impressive speeds while significantly lowering costs associated with quality control.

Industry Reach and Clientele

SwitchOn caters to a variety of manufacturing sectors, including consumer goods, electronics, automotive, and pharmaceuticals. Notable clients comprise of Unilever, Bosch, Maruti Suzuki, and ALPA. The company claims to have implemented solutions across more than 170 production lines in upwards of 60 manufacturing sites spread over four continents.

Future Plans of SwitchOn

In relation to the recent funding, co-founder Aniruddha Banerjee expressed the company’s intention to develop AI-enhanced systems that automate the quality inspection process and facilitate zero-defect manufacturing.

With this latest round of funding, SwitchOn becomes part of a burgeoning cohort of Physical AI startups capturing the attention of investors. Recently, Hakimo gained $12 million, Human Archive acquired $8.2 million in seed funding, and Mowito raised $3 million in a pre-seed round led by Version One Ventures. Additionally, Neocambrian AI has introduced an India-focused robotics data factory aimed at crafting training datasets for Physical AI models, underscoring the increasing momentum within this sector.