Gritt has emerged from stealth with a fresh $26 million Series A, bringing its total funding to $34 million. The startup is building an AI-driven system designed to help solar projects move faster by automating key installation steps in complex outdoor environments.
Founded by Carnegie Mellon-trained roboticists Puneet Puri and Vishal Dugar, the company is taking a practical approach: instead of designing robots from the ground up, it combines off-the-shelf machinery with software intelligence. Its current setup uses rented skidders and robotic arms to unload large solar panels, transport them to mounting frames, and place them with precision for workers to secure.
Gritt says the system is already active at two sites and is learning from real-world operations. According to the company, a crew of eight workers can typically install about 800 panels a day, while the same team supported by Gritt's tools can handle 3,000 to 4,000 panels daily.
The startup also says it has contracts tied to 2.8 gigawatts of solar panel installations over the next 18 months, with customers among major U.S. power construction firms. In the near term, Gritt aims to expand to 48 systems within six months.
Beyond panel handling, the company plans to extend its platform to tasks such as fastening panels, drilling posts, building racks, and eventually supporting other labor-heavy construction work. Its founders see modern AI models as the key enabler, making it possible to adapt one intelligent system across multiple jobsite tasks more quickly than before.
By combining robotics, machine vision, and adaptable AI, Gritt is pointing toward a future where construction sites can become faster, more precise, and more responsive to changing conditions.
