Inventory monitoring startup Gather AI bags $17 million in funding to transform supply chain traceability

Gather AI, a provider of computer vision and AI powered warehouse inventory monitoring solutions, has announced a $17 million Series A-1 round led by Bain Capital Ventures with participation from Tribeca Venture Partners, Dundee Venture Capital, Expa, and Bling Capital.

This provides a total of $34 million raised to date. The cash will be invested in scaling operations.

Gather AI was founded in 2017 by Sankalp Arora, Daniel Maturana and Geetesh Dubey, after launching from Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute.

It automates inventory visibility challenges through drones across third-party logistics, manufacturing, and retail facilities, laying claim to much richer data than warehouses can currently obtain with barcodes.

Customers include NFI, GEODIS, DSV, Barrett Distribution, and DPI Specialty Foods (KeHE).

“Gather AI’s cutting-edge computer vision and workflow software, purpose built for inventory monitoring, has seen significant commercial adoption and rapid growth separating them from the field of other venture backed startups,” says Ajay Agarwal, Partner at Bain Capital Ventures.

“We are excited to welcome Gather AI to our portfolio of companies such as Kiva, ShipBob, FourKites, and Vention that are leveraging AI and software in the physical world.”

“The Gather AI solution seamlessly integrated into our warehouse operations, delivering swift results,” says Cody Merritt, Director of Solution Design and Innovation at NFI.

“Our employees engaged well with the system, leading to a notable 5x productivity increase within five months using a single drone.”

“We’re already seeing the positive impact of Gather AI on customers spanning third-party logistics, retail, food and beverage, and manufacturing,” says Sankalp Arora, Co-founder and CEO at Gather AI.

“AI powered cameras will transform supply chain traceability to have a similar impact that barcodes did in the 1980s, and our technology is at the forefront of this transformation.”