#United States #Campbell #Summer Robotics #Kortx Platform #Applied Ventures

Summer Robotics Secures Series A Financing

On September 30, 2025, in a significant boost for its operations, Summer Robotics revealed that it has successfully completed the first closing of its Series A financing round. This series was spearheaded by Applied Ventures, LLC, which is known as the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc. The round saw participation from various investors including Solasta Ventures and NAVER D2SF.

Summer Robotics has established itself as a leader in the domain of machine vision tailored for vision-guided robotics. With the fresh influx of funds, the company plans to expedite the development of its innovative Kortx machine vision platform. The system is designed to permit robots to function effectively in dynamic and unstructured environments, while also operating under varying lighting conditions. This advancement is pivotal as it opens up new horizons for automation in sectors like manufacturing and logistics, and even in humanoid applications.

Additionally, this funding announcement coincided with a critical leadership transition at Summer Robotics. The company appointed Rick Van Valkenburg as its Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Van Valkenburg comes with an expansive professional background, having accumulated almost 30 years of experience in automation and machine vision. His most notable tenure was at Perceptron Inc., spanning 28 years, where he played significant roles in driving commercial growth and fostering global partnerships.

Schuyler Cullen, CEO of Summer Robotics, expressed excitement about the Series A investment, stating, "Our Kortx platform is enabling robotics applications that were not feasible with existing solutions. This Series A investment validates our vision and allows us to scale faster. Rick's leadership will be pivotal as we expand our commercial footprint."

Rick Van Valkenburg also shared his enthusiasm about joining Summer Robotics, remarking, "After nearly three decades in this field, I believe Summer Robotics is building something truly transformative. I’m excited to help bring this technology to market."

The company has already embarked on launching pilot programs with automotive manufacturers while actively exploring expansions into other industries that are in pursuit of advanced automation solutions.

John Wei, Senior Director at Applied Ventures, commented on the company's promise, saying, "Summer Robotics' breakthrough technology is set to unlock spatial intelligence for AI to better understand the physical world. We’re excited to support them as they enter their next phase of growth."

About Summer Robotics

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Campbell, California, Summer Robotics is dedicated to developing next-generation automation solutions. Their Kortx machine vision platform integrates artificial intelligence, computer vision, and high-speed imaging technologies to empower robots to navigate and operate in unstructured environments effectively.

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