Deck maintenance robot RoboDeck raises $2M pre-seed

RoboDeck must be tired of being called a “Roomba for decks.” We did so in our Startup Battlefield write-up, and I did so above. It’s an impressive pitch. The system applies a sealant to the wood’s surface to protect it from outdoor elements, a tedious part of deck ownership.

Two years after Disrupt, the company announced a $2 million pre-seed round. SOSV, Scalar Ventures, Etz-Ve-Etza, and private investors led the round this time.

The company attributes funding to pandemic-driven automation interest. The company is targeting office buildings, boardwalks, restaurants, and any outdoor wooden surface large enough to make maintenance a hassle due to the post-pandemic workforce shortage.

The system can treat 1,000 square feet in 20 minutes, while humans take much longer. Cabot, a 140-year-old New England wood care company, developed the “environmentally friendly” sealant.

The company notes in a release that “RoboDeck boasts an impressive client portfolio, including Cal Preserving—California’s largest deck maintenance company, SVB Bank offices in San Jose, The Tel Aviv Municipality, Azrieli Group, Ariel Properties of Electra Group—Israel’s largest property management company, Bezeq, Herbert Samuel Hotels, Hadassah Medical Center and others

The funding will expand an extremely lean 10-person team split between Israel and L.A. RoboDeck is hiring for its operational and R&D teams to scale production to meet demand.