Lucid Bots secures $20M funding to meet rising demand for window-cleaning drones

Andrew Ashur, founder and CEO of Lucid Bots, often describes his company as the opposite of much of today’s robotics industry. While many firms focus on humanoid robots or eye-catching demonstrations, Lucid Bots is focused on practical deployment — building machines that perform demanding, high-risk tasks like window cleaning more safely and efficiently.

Ashur pointed out that while others emphasise concepts and prototypes, his company focuses on real-world execution. Lucid Bots’ drones and robots are already operating in the field, contributing directly to customer operations and business outcomes rather than remaining in controlled environments or simulations.

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Lucid Bots operates as a full-stack robotics company. It develops, designs, and manufactures its own products in the United States, including its Sherpa drones and Lavo cleaning robot. These systems are sold to professional cleaning companies to support work on active job sites.

The company recently secured $20 million in a Series B funding round co-led by Cubit Capital and Idea Fund Partners, bringing its total funding to $34 million. The new capital will be used primarily to expand hiring as demand for its products continues to grow. Ashur noted that interest has reached a point where the company is struggling to keep up with the number of demo requests it receives.

According to Ashur, the company now faces more demand than its current capacity can handle. We need to scale our workforce and production quickly, as customer interest is accelerating.

In its early days, however, the company faced significant challenges in gaining traction. Ashur explained that it took nearly five years to deliver its first 100 robots, and that convincing investors was not straightforward, particularly given his background outside traditional engineering or robotics.

The idea for Lucid Bots originated while Ashur was studying economics and Spanish at Davidson College. He recalled witnessing window cleaners working on a building during windy conditions, where the equipment they were using became unstable and dangerous. That moment highlighted the risks associated with such work and inspired him to explore safer, technology-driven alternatives.

Ashur believes the broader construction and infrastructure sector presents a strong opportunity for robotics. He pointed out that infrastructure is one of the largest asset classes globally. Yet, it faces multiple challenges, including ageing structures, increasingly complex new developments, and a shrinking workforce willing to take on physically demanding or hazardous roles.

Founded in 2018, Lucid Bots initially operated as a cleaning services provider, taking on contract work to better understand industry needs. After gaining hands-on experience — including exposure to the hazards involved — the team refined its product design to meet real operational requirements.

The company has since seen accelerating growth. After taking five years to sell its first 100 units, it is now approaching 1,000 units sold, reflecting a sharp increase in adoption.

Lucid Bots continues to enhance its technology by using data collected from deployed robots to improve performance and software capabilities. The company is also expanding into additional use cases beyond cleaning. It is developing tools that allow its systems to handle tasks such as painting, waterproofing, and surface sealing.

Ashur noted that customer demand has played a key role in guiding this expansion. Existing clients have expressed interest in applying the same robotic systems to adjacent services, and the company has already begun responding to that demand by adapting its technology for broader applications.