Gecko Robotics raises $125 million in deal valuing critical infrastructure startup over $1 billion

Gecko Robotics has announced a significant milestone, securing $125 million in a Series D funding round, which elevates the company's valuation to an impressive $1.25 billion. This achievement marks the Pittsburgh-based startup's official entry into unicorn territory, nearly twelve years after its inception by founder Jake Loosararian. Previously, the company raised $173 million in a Series C round in December 2023, which valued it at $633 million. To date, Gecko Robotics has successfully attracted a total of $347 million in investments from notable backers, including USIT, XN, Founders Fund, and Y Combinator. The latest funding round was spearheaded by new investor Cox Enterprises. Recognized as a two-time CNBC Disruptor 50 company, Gecko Robotics ranked No. 30 on the 2025 Disruptor 50 list. The innovative firm employs a diverse fleet of robots capable of climbing, flying, and swimming to assess critical infrastructure. This data is then analyzed using the company's AI-driven operating platform, Cantilever, providing organizations with crucial insights to enhance, maintain, and monitor their infrastructures. Gecko Robotics serves a wide array of industries, collaborating with clients such as L3Harris Technologies and the U.S. Navy to oversee vital military aircraft and vessels, as well as energy giants like NAES, the largest independent power operator in the U.S., to improve power plant operations. The company also partners with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, where its robots inspect gas facilities and other essential infrastructure. In a statement regarding the new funding, Loosararian reflected on the journey of Gecko Robotics, stating, "Gecko was built out of my college dorm room, to what it is today — the company ensuring the safety of public infrastructure, optimizing energy and manufacturing facilities, and modernizing militaries to deter global conflict." The influx of capital will be directed toward accelerating growth and expanding into sectors such as defense, energy, and manufacturing. Gecko's Cantilever platform is designed to enhance operational efficiency, with capabilities ranging from modernizing C-130 aircraft to improving power plant efficiency by up to 5%. Trae Stephens, a partner at Founders Fund and co-founder of defense technology company Anduril, remarked, "While much of the tech industry is focused on consumer AI applications, Gecko Robotics is using AI to tackle a critical, often overlooked challenge – the construction and maintenance of essential infrastructure." He further noted that as organizations across various sectors recognize the advantages of using sensors and robots over human labor in this field, Gecko's business continues to thrive.