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Vention

Category: Robotics / Embodied AI

A digital Manufacturing Automation Platform (MAP) that enables users to design, program, order, and deploy industrial automation and robot cells directly from a web browser. Vention was founded in 2016. The company is led by Etienne Lacroix. Based in Montreal, Canada. Team size: 300-500. Total funding raised: $358.0M ($248M + $110M Series D). Latest round: Series D ($110M, Jan 2026). Key investors include ["Fidelity Investments Canada","Bain Capital Ventures","White Star Capital","Spark Capital","Investissement Québec","Georgian"].

Founded
2016
Headquarters
Montreal, Canada
Team size
300-500
Total funding
$358.0M ($248M + $110M Series D)

Value proposition

Democratizes industrial automation by reducing deployment timelines from months to days through a unified, no-code cloud ecosystem that integrates design software with modular, plug-and-play hardware.

Products and solutions

["MachineBuilder: A browser-based 3D CAD specifically for industrial equipment.","MachineLogic: A no-code/low-code software for programming automation sequences.","MachineMotion: A plug-and-play industrial motion controller.","MachineCloud: A cloud-based platform for remote deployment and fleet management.","Modular Hardware: A library of 1,000+ standardized components including extrusions, actuators, and cobot pedestals."]

Unique value

Pioneered the 'Hardware-as-a-Software' model for industrial engineering, where the design environment (CAD) is natively linked to a real-time inventory and automated assembly logic.

Target customer

Manufacturing engineers, plant managers, and operations leaders at both SMEs and Fortune 500 companies (e.g., Amazon, Tesla, Google).

Industries served

["Automotive & EV","Aerospace & Defense","Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)","Electronics Manufacturing","Pharma & Medical Devices","Logistics & Warehousing"]

Technology advantage

Vertical integration of the entire automation lifecycle: automated Bill of Materials (BOM) generation, instant pricing, and pre-configured firmware that eliminates the need for traditional PLC programming.

How they differentiate

Vention offers a unified 'Manufacturing Automation Platform' (MAP) that integrates cloud-based 3D CAD (MachineBuilder), no-code programming (MachineLogic), and modular hardware, reducing deployment time from months to days.

Main competitors

["Misumi Group","Viam","80/20 Inc.","Formant"]

Key partnerships

["Universal Robots (Certified UR+ partner)","FANUC (Authorized system integrator)","Cisco (Industrial IoT and networking security)","NVIDIA (Collaboration on AI-driven digital twins and simulation)"]

Notable customers

["Amazon","Tesla","Google","GE","Universal Robots","Acutec Precision Aerospace"]

Major milestones

["Launched MachineBuilder (cloud-based CAD) in 2016","Secured $95M Series C led by Fidelity Investments Canada in 2022","Launched MachineMotion AI powered by NVIDIA technology in 2025","Raised $110M Growth round in January 2026"]

Growth metrics

Serves over 4,000 customers globally; estimated ARR between $50M - $100M; team size of 300-500 employees.

Market positioning

Leader in the democratization of industrial automation, targeting mid-market and enterprise manufacturing through a 'Hardware-as-a-Software' model.

Geographic focus

North America (HQ in Montreal) and Europe (Berlin office), with global shipping capabilities.

Patents and IP

Holds multiple patents related to modular framing systems, precision connector assemblies, and cloud-based design-to-build workflows (e.g., US Patent 11,040,448 for modular structural systems).

About Etienne Lacroix

Etienne Lacroix is the Founder and CEO of Vention. Prior to Vention, he spent over five years at McKinsey & Company as an Associate Partner in the Operations and Product Development Practices, where he advised global leaders in the aerospace, automotive, and consumer electronics sectors. He also served as a Product Manager at GE Lighting, managing industrial technology portfolios.

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