HaaS 100 (early October 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 July, early and late August, and early and late September.

Carbon Robotics

• Founded date: 2018
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Employees: ~250
• What they do: AI-powered agricultural robots for weed control and autonomous tractor operation
• Key customers: Grimmway Farms, Taylor Farms, Braga Fresh, Gills Onions, Hungenberg Produce, Duncan Family Farms
• Website: carbonrobotics.com

Carbon Robotics manufactures the LaserWeeder G2, an autonomous implement that combines computer vision, AI deep learning, robotics, and high-powered lasers to identify and destroy weeds with sub-millimeter precision—without disturbing the soil or crops. The company also recently launched the Carbon AutoTractor, an autonomy kit that fits on existing John Deere 6R and 8R series tractors, which integrates with the LaserWeeder or other implements to perform continuous weed control, ground prep and crop maintenance. Designed and tested in the field with farmers, both products address the acute labor and chemical reduction needs of modern specialty agriculture.

The company uses a capital expense model for its LaserWeeder hardware, which farmers purchase outright. Customers then pay an annual software and support fee that includes Carbon AI updates, crop and weed detection improvements, and real-time customer support. The AutoTractor follows a usage-based pricing model, billed hourly, and includes 24/7 remote monitoring and real-time intervention from Carbon’s Remote Operations Control Center (ROCC) in Richland, Washington.

“We’ve seen too many agtech companies fail by trying to force software subscription models onto hardware that farmers need to own. That just doesn’t work in ag,” said Paul Mikesell, founder and CEO of Carbon Robotics. “Our approach is different: we build technology that solves real problems—then we partner with growers to get it into the field in a way that’s scalable, practical, and profitable from day one.”

Outrider

• Founded date: 2017
• Location: Golden, Colorado
• Employees: ~210
• What they do: Autonomous yard truck operations for logistics hubs
• Key customers: Georgia-Pacific
• Website: outrider.ai

Outrider automates yard operations with a fully integrated system that combines autonomous electric yard trucks, robotic trailer hitching, and cloud-based orchestration software. Designed specifically for logistics hubs like distribution centers and intermodal terminals, the Outrider System performs repetitive, hazardous tasks such as trailer moves, docking, and brake line connections. The vehicles operate with a proprietary autonomy stack powered by reinforcement learning, enabling 10x faster path planning, and are equipped with patented robotic arms and multimodal sensors to safely navigate complex yard environments.

The company offers its platform as a subscription-based service. Customers pay for access to a turnkey system that includes hardware, AI-driven software, continuous updates, infrastructure support, and 24/7 remote monitoring. This model ensures predictable costs and rapid deployment without requiring customers to maintain their own fleet or manage autonomy software in-house. A subscription includes safety validation, on-site implementation support, and integrations with yard, warehouse, and transportation management systems—all with the goal of eliminating inefficiencies and reducing emissions in freight operations.

Volley Automation

• Founded date: 2018
• Location: South San Francisco, California
• Employees: ~25
• What they do: Robotic parking systems for space-constrained buildings
• Customers: 1355 Fulton (San Francisco), 8633 Wilshire (Beverly Hills), 1301 Abbot Kinney (Venice)
• Website: volleyautomation.com

Volley Automation designs and deploys intelligent, robotic parking systems for multi-level buildings in space-constrained urban environments. Combining advanced software with proprietary hardware—including autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) that can lift and position cars with millimeter precision—Volley densifies garages by up to 2x, reducing their physical footprint while increasing capacity and speed. The company’s AI-powered platform learns traffic patterns and adapts vehicle placement for faster throughput and retrieval. The system also supports autonomous EV charging, enabling every car in a garage to access power without requiring fixed chargers for each space.

Volley follows a hybrid recurring sales model that combines an upfront infrastructure or CapEx component for the garage installation with an ongoing subscription or service agreement for software access, system management, and preventative maintenance. In this model, developers and property owners gain access to the robotic platform, user interfaces, 24/7 support, and performance upgrades over time. This “automation-as-a-service” approach—similar in structure to hardware-as-a-service (HaaS)—allows building owners to futureproof parking infrastructure without managing the complexities of robotic systems themselves.

Aurora

• Founded date: 2017
• Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Employees: ~2,100
• What they do: Autonomous driving systems for freight and ride-hailing fleets
• Key partners: FedEx, Volvo, PACCAR, Uber Freight, Werner, Schneider
• Website: aurora.tech

Aurora Innovation builds autonomous vehicle technology. The company has developed the Aurora Driver, a self-driving system designed to operate a range of vehicle types, from passenger cars to Class 8 freight-hauling trucks. Built on a common core of proprietary software and modular hardware, the Aurora Driver integrates a suite of sensors—lidar, radar, and cameras—to achieve a 360º perception of its environment. Its FirstLight Lidar technology offers visibility up to 400 meters, enabling safe and efficient highway driving. The system continuously improves through high-fidelity simulation and real-world feedback, creating a self-reinforcing learning loop. Aurora partners with industry players such as FedEx and Uber Freight to bring its autonomous freight capabilities to life.

Aurora’s pricing model is built around subscription-based services that provide access to the Aurora Driver’s capabilities, including vehicle autonomy, real-time operations monitoring, and remote support. The subscription includes both hardware (sensor suites and onboard computers) and a comprehensive software stack that handles perception, planning, and mapping. Much like a hardware-as-a-service (HaaS) model, Aurora bundles physical components with ongoing software access, support, and updates, enabling customers to adopt cutting-edge technology without upfront hardware investments. Aurora also offers fleet management tools, safety monitoring systems, and over-the-air updates, positioning its solution as a full-stack platform for autonomy delivered as an ongoing, service-based model.

Circu Li-ion

• Founded date: 2021
• Location: Luxembourg, Germany
• Employees: ~35
• What they do: Battery diagnostics, disassembly, and upcycling
• Key customers: automotive, EV, micromobility, and power tool industries
• Website: circuli-ion.com

Circu Li-ion is a battery upcycling company with a goal of upcycling three billion batteries by 2035. The company builds fully-automated battery disassembly and diagnostics equipment for OEMs in the automotive, electric vehicle, micromobility, power tool, and energy storage system industries. Using AI and a growing “battery library,” Circu Li-ion’s proprietary algorithm quickly diagnoses batteries to determine which cells can be reused and which can’t. The hardware then separates the healthy cells from other materials like plastic housing and PCB boards for reuse. The solution maximizes the value of every battery, saving money, people, and the planet: extending batteries’ lifecycles reduces both the CO2 emissions and human rights violations often associated with lithium mining and battery production.

The company provides two as-a-service models. Circu Li-ion’s disassembly-as-a-service model offers disassembly and diagnostics in its facility in Karlsruhe, Germany, so customers don’t have to operate the company’s equipment themselves. Under their machine-as-a-service (MaaS) model, on the other hand, customers get access to their own dedicated machine, through which they can feed their own data into the company’s proprietary software and collect battery insights through a dashboard to make more data-based decisions.