flo mobility raises 2.5million construction robotics scaling

Flo Mobility Secures $2.5 Million to Scale "Physical AI" Across India’s Construction SitesIn a significant move for the Indian DeepTech ecosystem, Bengaluru-based construction robotics startup Flo Mobility has raised $2.5 million in a pre-Series A funding round. The investment was co-led by Mela Ventures and Arali Ventures, with the capital earmarked to scale manufacturing, enhance its proprietary "Physical AI" stack, and fuel international expansion. Solving a "Systems Problem" in ConstructionDespite being a multi-trillion dollar global industry, construction remains one of the least automated sectors in the world. Flo Mobility, founded in 2021 by Manesh Jain and Pratik Patel, aims to address this inefficiency by automating the most labor-intensive and physically demanding task on any site: material handling. "The construction industry has been operating the same way for decades, with enormous amounts of labor dedicated simply to moving materials," stated Manesh Jain, CEO. "That’s not a people problem; it’s a systems problem. Our robots free skilled labor to do the work that actually matters." The Flo Hauler: Autonomy in ChaosUnlike robots designed for the controlled environments of warehouses, Flo Mobility’s flagship product, the Flo Hauler, is built for chaos. It is a battery-powered Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) capable of: Navigating Unstructured Terrain: Operating on uneven ground, mud, and through constantly changing site layouts. Vertical Mobility: Moving materials not just across a single floor, but navigating between floors in multi-story projects. Heavy Lifting: Carrying loads of up to 1.5 tonnes, replacing multiple manual trips with a single autonomous run. Proven Efficiency and Safety MetricsThe startup’s value proposition is backed by rigorous on-site data. Companies currently utilizing Flo Mobility's fleet—including L&T, Godrej Properties, Sobha Limited, and Embassy Group—have reported:45% reduction in material handling costs. 50% increase in the speed of material movement. 67% reduction in workplace accidents related to manual hauling. Strategic Expansion: From India to the Middle EastWith over 60 robots already deployed across 10 Indian states, Flo Mobility is now looking beyond domestic borders. The new capital will support the company’s entry into international markets, with a particular focus on the Middle East, where massive infrastructure projects like NEOM and the UAE’s residential booms are driving a desperate demand for automated efficiency. Viju George, Partner at Mela Ventures, highlighted the startup’s execution capability: "Construction’s unique constraints demand purpose-built solutions that deliver ROI in months, not years. The Flo team has demonstrated the technical depth needed to deploy autonomy in unstructured environments." The Future of the PlatformWhile material movement is the immediate focus, Flo Mobility is building a vertically integrated robotics platform. Future applications currently in development include autonomous solutions for tiling, wall finishing, and screeding. By turning the construction site into a data-driven, robotic environment, Flo Mobility is positioning itself as the foundational layer for the next generation of smart, efficient, and safe infrastructure development.