Path Robotics has raised $300 million at a $2.45 billion valuation — nearly four times its previous level — to expand its AI-driven factory robots from welding into defense and energy infrastructure.

Bloomberg first reported the Series E round, which was led by Georgian, a growth-stage investor that concentrates on artificial intelligence. The Columbus, Ohio-based company builds software that lets factory robots operate themselves, and the new capital pushes its total funding to roughly $610 million.

Who put money in?

The round drew a mix of familiar names and newcomers. Existing investors Addition, Drive Capital, IronArc Ventures, Tiger Global and Yamaha Motor Ventures all participated, alongside new backers D. E. Shaw Ventures and Naver Ventures.

What does the technology actually do?

Founded in 2018, Path Robotics has centered its work on Obsidian, a physical AI model (software that lets machines perceive their environment and adapt, rather than follow fixed instructions) that gives robotic arms and quadruped robots the ability to weld upwards of 12 different parts. The model lets robots see their surroundings, reason through problems and adjust on the fly.

Co-founder and CEO Andy Lonsberry told Bloomberg the company started with welding because manufacturers called it their biggest pain point. But success creates new bottlenecks.

"But as you de-bottleneck a task like welding, and you can weld 10 times as much, now we have a problem with assembly or inspection or painting or grinding," Lonsberry said. "We're seeing customers want us to try to help them deliver more tasks."

That pressure shapes the roadmap. Lonsberry said the new capital will fund entry into additional sectors, including defense and energy infrastructure, and the company aims to broaden the range of manufacturing jobs it can handle while working with a wider variety of robot platforms.

How fast is the company growing?

The growth figures are steep. Annual recurring revenue (a measure of predictable subscription-style income) is now 17 times what it was a year and a half ago, according to Bloomberg. Headcount has risen 97% since October 2025, and the company is targeting 400 employees before the year closes.

The pipeline is concrete, too. Path Robotics has 50 advance orders for Rove, a welding robot that pairs Boston Dynamics' Spot quadruped with Path Robotics' technology. The startup says the robot will work alongside human welders at shipyards, construction sites and large industrial campuses starting next year.

Its customer list underscores the defense tilt. Clients include U.S. shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries and Saronic Technologies, a maker of maritime drones and unmanned military ships.

Does automation kill welding jobs?

Lonsberry argues it doesn't — and frames the shortage as the real constraint. U.S. manufacturing, he said, faces capacity limits that robots can relieve while keeping work domestic.

"There is more demand than capacity today in the U.S.," Lonsberry said. "There's an opportunity to grow capacity utilizing robots to keep jobs here but then grow jobs that support the robots or the factory to do more. None of our customers have ever fired a welder because of a task robot."

That claim — zero welders displaced among its customer base — is the pitch at the heart of the raise. Path Robotics is betting that adaptive robots don't replace skilled labor but unlock growth that human-only crews can't capture alone.