Gather AI Secures $40M Series B for Autonomous Warehouse Drone Intelligence Platform

Gather AI, a pioneering startup specializing in AI-powered warehouse automation through camera and drone technology, has successfully closed a $40 million Series B funding round led by Smith Point Capital, the venture capital firm founded by former Salesforce co-CEO Keith Block.

The Gather AI team initially connected with Smith Point Capital at a logistics industry conference approximately one year ago. According to co-founder and CEO Sankalp Arora, "it took Keith and his team five minutes to understand our value proposition."

Technical Foundation and Origins

Gather AI's approach to warehouse automation represents a unique implementation in the logistics technology space. The four co-founders, who met during their PhD studies at Carnegie Mellon University, developed one of the first autonomous helicopter systems, which underwent testing at the FBI training facility in Quantico. Keith Block currently serves as a trustee for CMU.

In 2017, leveraging their expertise in autonomous aerial vehicle navigation and safety protocols, the founders established Gather AI. The platform utilizes commercially available cameras mounted on mobile warehouse equipment such as forklifts, complemented by off-the-shelf drones that navigate warehouse environments. These systems monitor floor operations in real-time and integrate captured data directly into warehouse management systems (WMS).

Curiosity-Driven AI Architecture

The distinguishing feature of Gather AI's technology lies in its curiosity-based scanning methodology. Rather than employing random data collection patterns, the AI system demonstrates purposeful investigation behavior. "My PhD research focused on implementing curiosity algorithms for various types of aerial robotics," Arora explained. "These systems exhibit curiosity regarding inventory containers, barcodes, and operational workflows."

The platform's computer vision capabilities extend beyond barcode recognition to include:

• Lot code identification
• Text recognition and extraction
• Expiration date tracking
• Case count verification
• Damage assessment
• Occupancy monitoring
• Workflow optimization analysis

The system proactively identifies and predicts operational challenges including inventory depletion, misplaced stock, and potential safety hazards in warehouse workflows. Additionally, the technology operates effectively in human-adverse environments such as freezer units and cold storage facilities.

Classical AI vs. Modern LLM Approaches

Notably, Gather AI's underlying architecture predates the large language model (LLM) era and employs fundamentally different methodologies. "These are not end-to-end neural networks," Arora clarifies. "Our implementation combines classical Bayesian techniques with neural network architectures."

Bayesian computer vision techniques utilize probability-based frameworks to enable machine interpretation of visual data. These systems leverage both empirical data and prior knowledge for decision-making processes, effectively eliminating the hallucination problems commonly associated with LLMs. Instead, the system "develops curiosity" to aggregate information and determine subsequent actions based on accumulated knowledge.

Embodied AI and Industry Recognition

Despite its classical algorithmic foundation, Gather AI operates at the forefront of embodied AI—robotic systems that physically interact with real-world environments, contrasting with LLMs that function through digital interfaces and web applications.

In December, the startup received the 2025 Nebius Robotics Award for Vision AI and Streaming Video Analytics. Nebius, a Netherlands-based company, provides AI infrastructure solutions for enterprise applications.

Company Growth and Market Position

Gather AI currently maintains a workforce of approximately 60 employees. The company's client portfolio includes:

• Kwik Trip
• Axon
• GEODIS
• NFI Industries

With this latest funding round, Gather AI has accumulated $74 million in total capital. The investor syndicate includes Bain Capital Ventures, XRC Ventures, and Hillman Investments, in addition to lead investor Smith Point Capital.

Sources:

Gather AI Official Website