Path Robotics
Category: Robotics / Embodied AI
Columbus-based physical AI company building the Obsidian welding model and robotic welding systems that let robots see, plan and adapt to variable parts in manufacturing. Path Robotics was founded in 2018. The company is led by Andrew (Andy) Lonsberry. Based in Columbus, Ohio, USA. Team size: 101-500. Total funding raised: $610M. Latest round: Series E. Key investors include Georgian (lead, Series E), Drive Capital, Addition, Tiger Global, IronArc Ventures, Yamaha Motor Ventures, D. E. Shaw Ventures, NAVER Ventures, Matter Venture Partners, Basis Set Ventures.
- Founded
- 2018
- Headquarters
- Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Team size
- 101-500
- Total funding
- $610M
Value proposition
Autonomous, AI-driven robotic welding that adapts to part and joint variation in real time, without pre-programmed paths, to address the shortage of skilled welders and expand manufacturing capacity.
Products and solutions
Obsidian (physical AI welding model), Obsidian-powered robotic welding cells, Rove (mobile welding system pairing Obsidian with a quadruped robot, launched April 2026), Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) offering
Unique value
Physical AI that perceives weld joints, plans and executes welds, and adapts on the fly. The company markets 4x productivity, 30%+ lower cost, and $0 capex via RaaS.
Target customer
Industrial manufacturers and fabricators in shipbuilding and defense, heavy equipment, and energy infrastructure
Industries served
Shipbuilding and defense, heavy equipment, energy infrastructure, general metal fabrication
Technology advantage
Obsidian is trained on real-world production data from a growing base of deployments, creating a data flywheel. It is hardware-agnostic across robotic platforms, and the company plans to extend it beyond welding to other production-line tasks starting in 2027.
How they differentiate
Competitors largely rely on preprogrammed or taught-path cobot and robot welding. Path uses a learned physical AI model that adapts to part variation with no programming, and offers a mobile option (Rove).
Main competitors
FANUC (CRX cobot welding), Universal Robots, Lincoln Electric
Key partnerships
HII (up to $900M agreement with a $600M performance-based production agreement for U.S. Navy shipbuilding), Yamaha Motor Ventures, NAVER Ventures
Notable customers
HII, Lockheed Martin, Saronic, EK Machine, Millerbernd Manufacturing Company, TransAmerican Power Products, TYCROP
Major milestones
2018 founded in Ohio, May 2021 $56M Series B, Oct 2024 $100M Series D, Apr 2026 launched Rove mobile welding, 2026 $600M performance-based HII shipbuilding agreement, Nov 2026 $300M Series E at $2.45B valuation
Growth metrics
ARR up 17x over 18 months (as of Nov 2026); workforce up 97% YoY; plans to reach 400 employees by end of 2026; $2.45B post-money valuation
Market positioning
Positions itself as the global leader in physical AI for manufacturing, ranked first by funding among tracked autonomous welding startups (Tracxn). Valued at $2.45B post-money.
Geographic focus
North America (US-focused, with defense and shipbuilding emphasis)
About Andrew (Andy) Lonsberry
Co-founder of Path Robotics; PhD in an AI-related field (Ohio State University); started Path in the basement of Case Western Reserve University; grew up welding in his family's Ohio manufacturing business. Received the Ohio State University Texnikoi Outstanding Alumni Award.
Latest news about Path Robotics
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Official website: https://www.path-robotics.com