Video analytics startup Wobot raises pre-Series A funding from Sequoia

By Narinder Kapur

  • 04 Aug 2020
Credit: 123RF.com

Wobot Intelligence Pvt Ltd, which operates an artificial intelligence-backed video analytics platform, has raised pre-Series A funding from Sequoia Capital India.

The company was set up by Adit Chhabra, Tapan Dixit, and Tanay Dixit.

Its platform connects to closed-circuit television (CCTV) and other types of cameras, and helps monitor process compliance as well as detect and track anomalies in an organisation’s standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Wobot also offers SOP-based analytics on points including hygiene, safety, productivity, and customer experience.

The company says it will use the capital it has raised to enhance its technological infrastructure and expand to international markets. The sum was not disclosed.

It will also use the funding to make appointments at executive levels, as well as expand its sales and marketing efforts and accelerate product development to cater to more use cases and customer types.

“Wobot’s vision has always been to create a transparent and seamless workplace with 100% process compliance where the camera acts as a third eye and provides continuous feedback for employees on the job,” Chhabra, who is the company’s chief executive officer, said.

Sequoia Capital India principal Ashish Agarwal said the firm was confident of its investment in Wobot because of the potential for the company to build a global software-as-a-service-based business for enterprises.

Wobot says it has a team of more than 60, and that it has completed over 10,000 installations for customers including CultFit, Rebel Foods, Kitopi, Blue Tokai, Apparel Group, and Max Estates.

In 2018, the company also signed a deal with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to monitor food production processes.

Frontier-tech segment

Overall investor and strategic interest in startups employing frontier technologies such as AI, Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning has risen in the past several years.

Last month, Nexus Venture Partners led a $12 million (around Rs 89.72 crore) Series A funding round in Sibros Technologies Inc., a Silicon Valley- and Pune-based startup that is focussed on connected vehicle software.

Also in July, inspection-focused startup Inspektlabs Inc. raised $600,000 (around Rs 4.5 crore) in a pre-Series A funding round. The exercise was led by venture firms Better Capital and Titan Capital.

In June, enterprise AI platform NextBillion AI raised $7 million (around Rs 52.89 crore) in a Series A funding round co-led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Falcon Edge Capital.

In May, photography firm Spyne raised pre-Series A funding from AngelList, along with participation from the Smile Group.