Startup Originals Team
Chennai-based robotics startup Solinas Integrity has raised $5.5 million (around ₹48 crore) in a Series A1 funding round to expand its robotics and AI solutions for underground water, wastewater and sanitation infrastructure. The round was led by Hero Enterprise Partner Ventures and Mela Ventures, with participation from Luthra Group.
Existing investors, including SVL-SME Fund managed by SBI Ventures, Rainmatter and 8X Ventures Fund I, also participated in the round. The fresh capital comes as Solinas looks to increase production, develop new products and expand its presence across Indian and international markets.
The funding gives the IIT Madras-incubated deep-tech startup additional capital to move beyond individual deployments and build a larger technology platform for inspecting, maintaining and managing underground infrastructure.
What Happened?
Solinas Integrity has secured $5.5 million in its Series A1 funding round as it looks to scale its robotics business across the water and wastewater sectors.
Hero Enterprise Partner Ventures and Mela Ventures led the round, while Luthra Group joined as a new investor. Existing backers SBI Ventures through the SVL-SME Fund, Rainmatter and 8X Ventures Fund I followed on with additional investments.
The company plans to use the capital to increase its manufacturing capacity, develop new products and strengthen its software infrastructure. A portion of the funds will also support working-capital requirements as Solinas expands its government and commercial contracts.
The startup also plans to enter more Indian states and municipal markets while increasing its presence in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Key Details
Solinas develops robotic systems that can operate inside difficult-to-access underground infrastructure. Its technology is designed to help utilities and other infrastructure operators identify defects, leaks, contamination, blockages and other problems without relying entirely on conventional inspection methods.
Its technology portfolio includes Endobot, a robotic inspection platform for underground pipelines; Swasth AI, which helps digitise and analyse inspection data; and HomoSEP, a robotic system designed for cleaning septic tanks and manholes.
Endobot combines a remotely operated crawler with sensors and imaging capabilities to inspect pipelines from the inside. The collected information can then be analysed digitally to help infrastructure operators make maintenance decisions. IIT Madras describes the technology as a system for internal pipeline condition assessment and defect detection.
The company has also focused on reducing manual intervention in hazardous sanitation work. HomoSEP was developed to mechanise the cleaning of septic tanks and manholes, addressing safety risks associated with manual scavenging.
Company Background
Founded in 2018, Solinas Integrity emerged from the IIT Madras ecosystem and has built its business around robotics, AI and digital technologies for water, sanitation and underground infrastructure.
The company is led by Divanshu Kumar, co-founder and CEO, and Moinak Banerjee, co-founder and CTO. Kumar has a background in mechanical engineering and product design from IIT Madras, while Banerjee studied machine design at KTH Stockholm and has worked on engineering projects involving organisations including Scania and the European Space Agency.
Solinas has previously received backing from investors including Rainmatter, Neev II Fund and 8X Ventures. Its technology has been deployed across multiple Indian cities, with the company positioning itself as a technology provider for utilities, municipalities and industrial infrastructure operators.
The startup was also recognised as the Best on Campus winner at the 2022 Economic Times Startup Awards for its work on robotic solutions addressing water and sanitation challenges.
Industry Impact
The funding comes as cities and utilities face growing pressure to reduce water losses, improve pipeline maintenance and modernise ageing underground infrastructure.
Traditional inspection of buried pipelines can require excavation and significant manual effort. Robotic inspection can provide operators with information about the condition of underground assets before problems become more expensive to fix. IIT Madras says Solinas’ Endobot technology is aimed at identifying pipeline defects and helping reduce non-revenue water losses.
The technology also has implications for worker safety. By mechanising hazardous cleaning activities, robotic systems such as HomoSEP can reduce the need for sanitation workers to enter septic tanks and manholes manually.
For Solinas, the latest investment could help strengthen its position in India’s growing deep-tech and industrial robotics ecosystem while giving it resources to compete in overseas markets.
Future Plans
Solinas plans to use the new funding to expand manufacturing, develop additional products and improve its software capabilities. It also intends to broaden its operations across Indian states and municipal areas while pursuing opportunities in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
The company is looking beyond water and sanitation as well. Its expansion roadmap includes applications across industrial infrastructure and defence, potentially widening the addressable market for its robotics and AI technology.
In a recent interview, CEO Divanshu Kumar said the company’s longer-term ambition is to build an intelligent asset-management platform for underground infrastructure, connecting robotics and AI with wider utility systems. The company is also targeting markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe.
Conclusion
The $5.5 million funding raised by Solinas Integrity marks another step in the expansion of India’s deep-tech robotics sector. The IIT Madras-incubated startup will use the capital to increase manufacturing, strengthen its AI and software capabilities and expand into new markets.
With water infrastructure facing challenges such as leakages, contamination, ageing pipelines and maintenance gaps, Solinas is positioning its robotics and AI platform as a technology-driven approach to underground asset management. Its expansion across India and overseas markets will determine how effectively the company can turn its deep-tech solutions into large-scale infrastructure deployments.
