Chennai-based Unibose Technology has raised ₹5.5 crore in pre-Series A funding. O2 Angels led the round, with participation from IN44 Capital and the Coimbatore Innovation and Business Incubator. This funding round marks a pivotal step for Unibose, which develops ATEX Zone-0 certified robots built specifically for explosive, hazardous, and confined industrial environments.
Founded by Manikandan Dakshinamoorthy and his core team, Unibose designs and manufactures robotic inspection systems that operate safely in zones prone to fire, gas leaks, and high-pressure hazards. With this funding, the startup plans to accelerate robot deployment across India and Southeast Asia and enhance its R&D in AI-powered inspection technologies.
Addressing a Critical Industry Need
Industries such as oil and gas, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and refineries operate in environments where even a small spark can trigger explosions. These zones require strict compliance with ATEX Zone-0 safety standards, which ensure that equipment remains safe even in continuous explosive atmospheres.
Traditional manual inspections in these zones pose serious health and safety risks. Workers must undergo rigorous training, and inspections remain slow and error-prone. Unibose identified this challenge and responded by building autonomous robots that can enter these zones and perform high-precision inspections safely and efficiently.
Unibose’s solutions bring automation, real-time data capture, and safety into high-risk environments where human access remains difficult or dangerous. By replacing manual inspections with robot-assisted diagnostics, industrial plants can reduce downtime, increase safety, and improve operational reliability.
Unique Technology and Capabilities
Unibose’s robots feature ATEX Zone-0 certification, the highest level of explosion protection. This certification allows the robots to function continuously in explosive gas atmospheres without igniting sparks, flames, or heat. Each robot carries multiple sensors, including thermal cameras, gas detectors, ultrasonic sensors, and LiDAR-based navigation tools.
The startup’s engineering team has embedded AI-powered algorithms that can detect cracks, corrosion, pressure anomalies, gas leaks, and temperature variations in real time. These smart robots transmit actionable data back to plant operators, helping them take preventive measures before system failures or accidents occur.
Unibose also provides a central monitoring platform that displays diagnostics, inspection footage, and historical maintenance logs. This platform integrates with existing SCADA or control room systems, creating a seamless pipeline from robot inspections to plant-level decision-making.
Strategic Use of Funds
The newly raised ₹5.5 crore will support four core areas:
- Deployment Across India and Southeast Asia
Unibose plans to scale its robot installations in petrochemical plants, fertilizer factories, LNG terminals, and large-scale manufacturing facilities. The team has already completed successful pilots with a few oil refiners in India and secured interest from clients in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. - Strengthening Research and Development
The company will invest in expanding its R&D lab to improve robot agility, battery efficiency, and AI algorithms. The team will also work on building specialized robots for submersible inspections and vertical climbing in confined tanks and silos. - Hiring Technical Talent
To speed up innovation, Unibose will hire robotics engineers, embedded systems developers, and AI scientists. These hires will help in designing modular robot arms and improving sensory precision during operations. - Manufacturing and Supply Chain
A portion of the funds will enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities. Unibose aims to reduce lead times for hardware assembly and improve component localization to meet industry-specific customizations.
Founder’s Vision
Founder and CEO Manikandan Dakshinamoorthy holds deep expertise in robotics, industrial automation, and hazardous environment engineering. Before launching Unibose, he led engineering projects across large industrial setups in Tamil Nadu and the Middle East.
Manikandan started Unibose with the vision to save lives and eliminate human risk in high-explosive zones. His team includes specialists in robotic mechanics, AI, industrial standards, and safety compliance.
“We don’t build robots just to automate; we build them to protect and to perform in the most dangerous conditions,” said Manikandan. “This funding allows us to bring our technology to more industries and geographies, while pushing the envelope of robotic intelligence in real-world hazardous environments.”
Investor Confidence and Strategic Backing
O2 Angels, the lead investor in this round, focuses on early-stage industrial tech and hardware startups. Their portfolio includes companies involved in IoT, automation, and energy. Their decision to back Unibose highlights their commitment to industrial safety and next-gen robotics.
IN44 Capital, known for funding frontier tech startups, brings deep technical expertise and access to strategic partnerships in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the Coimbatore Innovation and Business Incubator supports Unibose with mentoring, grants, and networking in Tamil Nadu’s manufacturing ecosystem.
Investors described Unibose as a “high-impact, high-precision robotics play” that combines real-world problem-solving with scalable business potential. The company’s focus on ATEX-certified innovation places it in a niche yet globally relevant category.
Market Opportunity
The market for robotic inspections in hazardous environments is growing rapidly. Industrial automation continues to surge in oil and gas, power, and chemicals, especially across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
India alone hosts hundreds of refineries, chemical plants, and thermal power stations that require constant inspection and maintenance. With environmental and safety regulations becoming stricter, companies are shifting from reactive to predictive maintenance models.
Unibose is tapping into this market by offering hardware-software integrated solutions that comply with global safety norms and deliver tangible cost savings. With a working robot fleet and successful use-cases, the startup positions itself ahead of many competitors still in prototyping stages.
Real-World Applications
Unibose’s robots have already demonstrated success in:
- Gas leak detection in chemical plants
- Pipeline crack inspections in oil refineries
- Tank corrosion mapping in fertilizer units
- Heat anomaly checks in power generation units
These robots operate in high-temperature and high-pressure zones, navigate through tight pipes or ducts, and function for hours without human intervention. This capability helps reduce plant shutdowns, cut maintenance costs, and ensure worker safety.
Challenges and Future Plans
Despite its growth, Unibose faces challenges in customizing robots for different terrains, factory setups, and industry needs. Navigating tight regulatory approvals in foreign countries also requires time and resources.
The team is working on partnerships with system integrators and plant engineering firms to tailor deployments and speed up adoption. Plans for the next 12 months include launching a new robot variant for underground pipeline inspections and expanding commercial operations in the UAE and Thailand.
Unibose also wants to launch an enterprise AI dashboard that predicts failure timelines, generates maintenance alerts, and integrates with ERP systems for enterprise customers.
Conclusion
Unibose Technology is transforming how industries monitor and maintain high-risk environments. With ₹5.5 crore in fresh capital, the startup is set to expand its ATEX-certified robots across India and Southeast Asia, while doubling down on AI-led inspection tools. The blend of deep tech, industrial utility, and global applicability positions Unibose as a rising star in the industrial robotics space. By focusing on safety, precision, and innovation, the company is not just automating work—it is protecting lives and redefining the future of industrial inspections.
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