HaaS 100 (early February 2025)

Hardware-as-a-service (HaaS) is gaining momentum across a variety of industries. Many of the early adopters of HaaS are in robotics, offering robots-as-a-service (RaaS) to decrease barriers to entry and improve overall value to customers. Others offer machine-as-a-service (MaaS), device-as-a-service (DaaS), or equipment-as-a-service (EaaS).

Some companies pitch outcomes more than assets, offering data-as-a-service or platform-as-a-service models. From network-as-a-service to facades cleaning; managed service providers (MSPs) to managed security service providers (MSSPs); and autonomous construction equipment to diagnostic sensors and 3D printers, these companies are on the cutting-edge of their fields.

This post is part of a series about modern hardware companies, their business models, and the future of HaaS. For more, see posts from early and late October, early and late November, early and late December, and early and late January. 

Nauticus Robotics

• Founded date: 2014
• Location: Webster, Texas
• Employees: ~50
• What they do: Autonomous subsea robotics
• Key customers: Shell
• Website: nauticusrobotics.com

Nauticus Robotics develops autonomous robots for the ocean industries (e.g., renewables, port management, oil & gas, subsea mining). The company’s flagship underwater vehicle, Aquanaut, performs visual inspections and maintenance on underwater infrastructure in depths of up to 2,000 meters. It does so untethered, running solely on electric power. The robot collaborates with a remote pilot and sends compressed and high-definition images to the surface through Nauticus’ acoustic communications link. Aquanaut leverages Nauticus’ proprietary ToolKITT software, a platform-agnostic solution powered by AI and machine learning, for fleet management, mission planning, supervised autonomy enablement, and data collection.

Nauticus’ robotics systems and accompanying software and services are delivered through both a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) pricing model and direct product sales. Under the RaaS model, customers can leverage Aquanaut’s subsea manipulation capabilities alongside ToolKITT’s management and analytics capabilities for a fixed recurring fee. As such, offshore operators can perform subsea operations without the need for large vessels, divers, and topside personnel—and without purchasing the robots outright.

“At Nauticus, we're building eco-friendly alternatives to the hazardous and costly methods of the past,” says John Gibson, CEO. “RaaS allows the marine industry to access robotics, autonomy software, and services without capital outlay. This means they can reduce operating costs, operational footprints, and greenhouse gas emissions without the financial burden.”

Renovate Robotics

• Founded date: 2021
• Location: Brooklyn, New York
• Employees: >10
• Customers: Roofing contractors and construction companies
• What they do: Robots for roof tile installation
• Website: renovaterobotics.com

Renovate Robotics’ flagship product is Rufus, a robot that automates one of the most dangerous tasks in construction—the installation of roof tiles. Operating on a winch-based system, Rufus affixes securely to the roof and navigates along an X and Y axis, laying and fastening shingles as it goes. The robot utilizes a ladder lift to get on and off the roof, employs cameras to precisely place shingles, captures real-time images of its progress, and notifies operators when additional supplies are required. Currently, Rufus can install asphalt shingles three times faster (and much more safely) than a human roofer can, but future iterations of the hardware will also be able to tear off old shingles, and install underlayment and solar products.

Renovate currently operates as a subcontractor, deploying its technology to complete jobs in partnership with select roofing contractors. But the company ultimately expects to offer its machines through a robots-as-a-service (RaaS) pricing model, in which customers get access to Renovate’s hardware, software, maintenance services, and more at a recurring cost.

“A RaaS model accelerates our technology development and benefits our customers—the roofing contractors,” says Andy Stulc, Renovate’s founder and CEO. “We’re continuously deploying our latest technology to get valuable real-world experience, and our robot operators can troubleshoot any issues that might arise on the job site. This means projects run efficiently and we can pass increasing savings onto our customers. This lets roofing contractors use us to scale both volume and profitability. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Kodiak

• Founded date: 2018
• Location: Mountain View, California
• Employees: ~190
• What they do: Self-driving systems for trucks
• Customers: Logistics and transportation companies that operate in the freight industry
• Website: kodiak.ai

Kodiak manufactures the Kodiak Driver, a modular system that adapts to any vehicle or driving platform, from long-haul trucks to military vehicles. The system features SensorPods, which utilize cameras, LiDARs, and radars to provide real-time, 360° environmental awareness around the truck; Guardian, a high-integrity safety computer that interfaces with redundant braking and steering systems and continuously recalculates backup plans in the event of a single-point failure; and Maps, which are instantly updated and transmitted to other Kodiak-equipped vehicles to reflect changes in lane markings, construction zones, and shoulder vehicles that may shift hourly. The system is also constantly self-diagnosing, performing 10,000 safety and performance checks per second on everything from sensors to oil pressure.

The company provides its solution through a driver-as-a-service model: Customers pay a per-mile fee to utilize the Kodiak Driver on their own trucks. Kodiak retrofits customers’ trucks with its self-driving system, including both the hardware and software. The company also retains oversight of the system throughout the life of the truck and the contract.

ARIX Technologies

• Founded date: 2017
• Location: Houston, Texas
• Employees: ~25
• What they do: Inspection robots for corrosion under insulation (CUI) detection
• Key customers: Con Edison, ONEOK, Shell, Exxon Mobil, Dow Chemical Company
• Website: arix-tech.com

ARIX Technologies is a robotics and data analytics firm that provides inspection services for detecting and managing pipe corrosion in the petrochemicals industry. The company’s flagship inspection robot, VENUS, navigates intricate industrial piping networks, scanning pipes and collecting detailed data on their conditions with its suite of sensors. VENUS can reach areas that are inaccessible to human inspectors, gather reliable data 13x faster than manual inspectors can, and detect corrosion under insulation (CUI) in even the most challenging environments. ARIX’s software platform, ARIX Analytics, identifies critical corrosion issues, leverages advanced AI algorithms to develop corrosion and deterioration risk models, and equips operators with prioritized action items to help them plan maintenance effectively.

Rather than sell its hardware outright, ARIX offers VENUS as part of a comprehensive robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) package that includes the hardware, analytics software, dashboards featuring 3D visualization tools and advanced forecasting capabilities, support, hardware upgrades, and maintenance. The as-a-service model ensures that industrial operators don’t have to spend capex dollars on robots that will sit unused for much of the year, since inspections are typically conducted only once per year.

Swap Robotics

• Founded date: 2019
• Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
• Employees: ~25
• What they do: 100% electric autonomous robots for vegetation management
• Customers: Solar farms, particularly in Florida and Texas
• Website: swaprobotics.com

Swap Robotics builds robots that cut grass and clear snow, though the company’s current focus is large-scale (1,000+ acres) vegetation maintenance at solar farms. Solar vegetation maintenance is challenging as it requires a cutting deck that can operate beneath solar panels; traditional solutions—sheep-grazing and diesel-powered lawnmowers—are inefficient or unsustainable. Swap’s robots are 100% electric, and can cut beneath panels and around wiring and poles. The robots operate quietly, can navigate diverse terrain, feature built-in hydraulics and a “quick-swap” system for attachments, are equipped with depth-sensing cameras, can handle vegetation up to two inches thick, and have easily-swappable, rechargeable batteries that last between 4-12 hours, depending on the density of the vegetation.

Swap operates on a robots-as-a-service (RaaS) business model, in which customers pay per acre maintained rather than purchasing a robot outright. The per-acre fee varies depending on the size and terrain of the site and the frequency of cuts; but it’s a convenient pricing model, as it mirrors the one customers already know from traditional grass-cutting services. Swap performs all maintenance, repairs, and battery charging. If a robot ever stops working, the company promises a new one onsite within 90 minutes.