Renovate Robotics

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.”