Chennai-based deeptech startup Unibose Technology has raised ₹5.5 crore in a pre-Series A round to scale its proprietary robotics solutions for hazardous and confined industrial environments, such as petroleum and chemical tanks.
The funding round was led by O2 Angels, with participation from IN44 Capital, Coimbatore Innovation and Business Incubator, and a group of strategic angel investors. This follows an earlier ₹2.5 crore seed round raised from StartupTN.
Founded by Manikandan Dakshinamoorthy, Samayaraj Durairaj, Sakthivel Panneerselvam, and Venkatesh Sundaramurthy, Unibose has built one of the world’s most advanced robotic systems for extreme industrial safety. The startup is among only three companies globally—and the first in Asia—to develop an ATEX Zone-0 compliant robot, capable of operating inside live petroleum, chemical, and gas tanks, where explosive gases, toxic residues, and zero-oxygen levels make human intervention life-threatening.
In addition to the robot, Unibose has developed custom-certified Zone-0 vision and lighting systems, positioning it as Asia’s only end-to-end provider of fully integrated Zone-0 certified robotics and vision solutions for confined space operations.
Operating on a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, Unibose allows industries to deploy these life-saving technologies without large upfront investments—a model that’s gaining traction across sectors such as oil & gas, chemicals, fertilizers, and heavy industry.
“We backed Unibose for their unmatched technical depth and the scalability of their robotics platform. They’re a true example of what Indian engineering can achieve on the global stage,” said Rajesh Ranjan, Co-Founder, O2 Angels.
“Unibose has built an extremely relevant solution for high-risk industries. Their certified robots are already market-ready, and we are excited to support them in scaling this globally,” added Sathish Ganesan, Partner, IN44 Capital.
“The NMER Robot isn’t just a product — it’s a safety revolution,” said Manikandan Dakshinamoorthy, Founder & CEO of Unibose. “We have engineered a solution to a global problem that has long been ignored. With this funding, we are set to scale across India, GCC, and Southeast Asia, strengthen R&D in AI-based inspection and compliance tools, and build a strong OEM and partner ecosystem.”
With this capital, Unibose aims to accelerate deployments across international markets and continue innovation in AI-powered inspection, compliance automation, and robotic safety systems, further reinforcing India’s growing footprint in industrial automation and robotics.
