Canvas develops a collaborative robotics system for drywall finishing that pairs trained union workers with robotic tooling to deliver consistent Machine-Finished Level 5 results. The company emphasizes improved quality, schedule control, and safety, claiming to reduce typical finishing times (the article cites up to 2.5x faster and an example reduction from 7 to 2 days) while eliminating high work and repetitive motion. Canvas launched out of stealth in November 2020 after three years building a patent portfolio and working with leading builders and District Council 16 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. The product targets labor shortages and growing construction demand by making finishing work more predictable and safer. The company says adoption accelerated during the COVID-19 crisis as owners and builders seek quality amid tight labor markets. Canvas plans to use new funding to accelerate deployment of its robotics technology across the built environment, beginning with drywall finishing. Canvas uses a modified JLG lift, a robotic arm, and sensors to automate drywall installation on commercial construction sites larger than 10,000 square feet. The company emerged from stealth and was founded in 2017. Canvas operates in the San Francisco Bay Area and is gearing up to move into other cities. Its machines are run by trained workers from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, and the founders say the robots operate faster and deliver higher-quality finishes than humans working without a robot. Canvas draws technical knowledge from work with the U.S. military on surface preparation and finishing. The company has 30 employees and says it has continued to grow through the COVID-19 crisis.

Total raised

$43M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Series B

Latest activity

Apr 2021