Konnex is building a marketplace and protocol for robots and AI to be contracted for physical work. Source: Konnex
Konnex last week said it has raised $15 million in funding from a consortium of strategic partners. The startup said the investment will accelerate its efforts to transition autonomous robots from closed, proprietary systems into an app-like ecosystem.
“Physical work is a $25 trillion economy currently trapped in closed systems,” said Jon Ollwerther, CEO of Konnex. “With the support of our partners, Konnex is building the key to unlock that value. We are creating a world where autonomous robots work like apps—contracted, verified, and paid—to provide the scalable labor the world desperately needs.”
The company is based in the British Virgin Islands and has staff in the U.S.
Konnex works to overcome siloed automation
Despite a spate of major recent innovations around robotics and AI, work remains trapped in siloed infrastructures, according to Konnex. It is introducing a framework where autonomous robots function like applications: easily and quickly contracted, verified, and paid.
The company said its marketplace and protocol will verify task outcomes with onchain and settle payments in stablecoins. Konnex claimed that its robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) evolution ensures labor can be deployed and scaled with the same fluidity as software.
“Konnex is redefining the future of work by bridging the gap between autonomous robotics and the global economy,” said the company. “By treating autonomous labor as a verifiable, liquid asset, Konnex enables industries to deploy robotic solutions with unprecedented ease and transparency.
Industry veterans lead company
Konnex said it is led by a team of veterans whose experience spans the robotics, drone technology, and capital markets sectors, including:
- Jon Ollwerther, CEO: A “40 Under 40” honoree with more than 15 years of experience in robotics and media. Ollwerther previously led commercial teams at Measure and Aerobo, and he sits on the Board of The Stan Lee Foundation.
- Brandon Torres Declet, strategic supporter: A five-time CEO and founder; and executive in the drone, robotics, and defense sectors, currently serving as CEO of Exyn Technologies and co-founder of ReadyMonitor. Declet has successfully led companies such as AgEagle Aerial Systems, where he raised over $100 million and drove key acquisitions, and Measure, which became North America’s largest drone service provider under his leadership.
- Lucas Van Oostrum, strategic advisor: A drone-swarm pioneer and multi-robot coordination expert. Van Oostrum co-founded Nova Sky Stories with Kimbal Musk and co-launched the €100 million ($117.2 million U.S.) RoboValley Fund.
In addition, Konnex said its funding included backing from venture firms including Cogitent Ventures, Liquid Capital, Leland Ventures, Covey, LD Capital, M77 Ventures, and Block Maven LLC. The startup said it plans to use the new capital to expand the Konnex platform, integrate with new hardware partners, and further develop the verification protocols that allow autonomous systems to operate safely and efficiently in the real world.
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