Participated · Seed · Dec 2023

BotBuilt, founded in 2020 by Brent Wadas, Colin Devine and Barrett Ames, develops reprogrammable robotic systems that translate building plans into machine commands to fabricate framing components. The company focuses specifically on framing — wall panels, floor trusses and roof trusses — and operates robot-equipped factories that produce components for homebuilders rather than selling the machines. Its system reportedly runs for about $1 per hour and can be reprogrammed to build different frame designs, which BotBuilt says gives it flexibility versus hard automation. BotBuilt has built nine homes so far and reports revenue hovering around $75,000, with an internal estimate of roughly $15,000 in revenue per house of wall panels built. The company says manual plants operate at 30–40% gross margins and expects its automation will enable significantly higher margins while delivering cost savings to builders. BotBuilt plans to ramp production in 2024, begin shipping robot-built trusses, and scale operations from its initial two factories; it is based in Durham, North Carolina.