As autonomous robots enter warehouses, hospitals, shops, and public spaces, the need for safe human-machine collaboration is growing fast. That’s exactly what Sonair’s ADAR sensor is built for. With $6 million in new funding the company can capture its global target market segments and establish a new category for robotic perception.
After a strong market debut earlier this year, ADAR (acoustic detection and ranging) is now shipping to manufacturers in Asia, Europe and North America.
The sensor uses sound waves in air to give robots a precise, real-time 3D view of their surroundings, helping them operate safely in shared spaces.
Sonair is safety-certifying to PLd ISO13849 / SIL IEC 61508. An industry-first for 3D ultrasonic sensing, with the company now moving fast to meet rising, global demand.
To fuel this acceleration, Sonair has raised $6M from a strong group of existing and new international investors, including Copenhagen-based VC Scale Capital and Norway’s state-backed Investinor.
The round saw continued support from RunwayFBU (part of the Aker group), SINTEF, ProVenture, with RunwayFBU significantly increasing its commitment.
With this strengthened shareholder base, Sonair now has the capital backing to drive its global rollout and long-term growth.
Knut Sandven, CEO and co-founder of Sonair, says: “For robots to operate alongside humans, safety has to be built in from the start. ADAR gives manufacturers a straightforward and more affordable way to achieve that.”
A fraction of the cost of LiDAR
Sonair’s patented ultrasound technology provides precise 3D perception at a fraction of LiDAR’s cost. After testing with over 30 global companies, it now targets autonomous mobile robots in logistics and manufacturing, a market set to hit $15.6 billion by 2030.
Increased warehouse automation, labor shortages and new safety regulations are accelerating demand for technologies that enable people and robots to work side-by-side.
In the US alone, warehouse workers reported 4.7 injuries per 100 full-time employees in 2023 – nearly double the private industry average.
ADAR’s combination of safe 3D object detection, full vertical views, and low computational requirements enables safer robot movement, reducing risk without adding complexity or cost to the machine.
Sandven adds: “If a robot can’t operate safely around people, it won’t be widely adopted. We’re giving manufacturers a tool they can trust, one that helps them meet the highest safety standards without slowing down innovation.”
One of Sonair’s customers, Fuji Corp in Japan, is building autonomous robots for retail environments.
“Through comprehensive testing we were able to confirm the high suitability of their sensors for autonomous mobile robots,” says Koji Kawaguchi, general manager of the innovation promotion department, Fuji.
Another reference customer, based in Europe, builds cleaning robots for commercial buildings. In both cases, safety is a top requirement because the robots will operate around humans.
Rapid progress creates investor confidence
Investors point to the company’s rapid progress from a portfolio of patents to commercial shipments as evidence of both technical excellence and execution speed.
For Scale Capital, joining the round was a bet on both the market and the team.
Terkel Douglas, investment manager at Scale Capital, says: “Sonair makes robot safety simple. As robots become more common-place in our daily lives, safety becomes critical.
“By pushing the technical limits of sensing technology, Sonair has moved the robotics world several steps forward in a safe and cost-effective way. This is European deep tech at its best.”
Investinor, a state-backed VC in Norway, joined the round.
Egil Garberg, investment director, Investinor, says: “For robots to scale into everyday environments, safety cannot be optional.
“Sonair’s patented ADAR technology combines technical excellence with clear commercial traction. We believe the team is uniquely positioned to capture a rapidly growing global market for autonomous machines.”
T|Y|R.vc, a Denmark-based fund investing in dual-use technologies, also joined the round.
Jesper Hart-Hansen, general partner at T|Y|R.vc, says: “The opportunity in autonomous vehicles and machines is significant.
“Sonair’s differentiated technology allows autonomous system manufacturers to build safe and affordable solutions, with applications across both civilian and defense sectors.”
