Q-Bot, a UK developer of robots for use in the construction and retrofit industry, has closed a £1.6m investment round to fund the next stage of its growth.
The additional funds, primarily from existing investors, will enable Q-Bot to accelerate the rollout of its solution of remotely applying underfloor insulation across the UK and engage with overseas demand.
EMV Capital led the round, with participation of its parent company NetScientific PLC.
Using robotics and AI, Q-Bot develops solutions designed to survey, maintain and upgrade existing buildings.
Q-Bot robots apply underfloor insulation underneath suspended floors, reportedly improving the energy efficiency of properties and household comfort with minimal disruption.
With many households facing unprecedented rises of heating costs this winter, retrofitting a suspended floor can reportedly save on energy bills, improve daily comfort, reduce carbon footprints, and increase property values.
Q-Bot works with both social and private landlords, as well as homeowners, and claims to have insulated more than 3,000 properties.
“We are pleased that, following the strategy review and changes to the company launched by the board in 2021, we are now seeing accelerated growth for the business in terms of sales, the on-boarding of a series of key partners and continued investor support,” said Peter Childs, Q-Bot chair and a professor at Imperial College London.
“We recognise the challenges associated with rising energy bills and are fortunate to be part of worthwhile solutions to reducing energy demands and associated emissions and costs.
“We are looking forward to being able to offer our quality assured underfloor thermal insulation to even more homes in the coming year.”
Q-Bot’s growth is through an expansion of its network of accredited installation partners (AIPs), industrialising robot manufacturing at scale.
The company offers a scalable robot-as-a-service model to locally successful, high-quality AIPs.
Over the past two years, Q-Bot has developed several partnerships in the UK, with additional partners going through training.
Since October 2021, Q-Bot has been working overseas, and has partnered with a large national insulation company and a local installer in France.
