BurnBot, a pioneering company focused on preventing destructive wildfires, has successfully secured $20 million in Series A funding. The investment, led by ReGen Ventures and supported by a consortium of investors including Toyota Ventures, AmFam Ventures, Convective Capital, Blue Forest Asset Management, Skip Capital, Overture Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, and Pathbreaker Ventures, aims to expand BurnBot’s mechanized vegetation management solutions.
In response to the escalating frequency and severity of wildfires, BurnBot is committed to scalable fuels treatment for brush clearance, prescribed burns, and forest restoration. Comprised of a diverse team of wildland firefighters, scientists, engineers, prescribed fire practitioners, and forestry professionals, BurnBot leverages innovative technologies to enhance workforce capacity for safe, efficient, and ecological fuels treatment.
Anukool Lakhina, Co-Founder and CEO of BurnBot, emphasized the company’s mission to address the challenges of destructive wildfires through strategic initiatives. With the support of investors, BurnBot aims to scale its manufacturing and field operations to bolster resilience against wildfires.
Central to BurnBot’s approach is the systematic use of beneficial fire to foster healthy ecosystems and mitigate wildfire risks. The company’s RX, a mechanized prescribed fire system, facilitates precise deployment of fire within an enclosed chamber, significantly enhancing operational efficiency while minimizing smoke and escape risks. This innovative technology serves as a force multiplier, enabling small crews to treat areas 10 times faster and more effectively.
Waleed “Lee” Haddad, Co-Founder and CTO of BurnBot, highlighted the significance of the RX in amplifying prescribed fire capacity. By operating with minimal smoke and escape risk, the RX ensures year-round safety even in proximity to communities and critical infrastructure.
The efficacy of BurnBot’s technology has been demonstrated through successful deployments across California and Oregon. From aiding PG&E in deploying prescribed fire under high-voltage transmission lines to clearing hazardous brush around evacuation routes for the Hoopa Valley Tribe, BurnBot’s solutions have garnered acclaim for their effectiveness and efficiency.
Dan Fitzgerald, Managing Director of ReGen Ventures, praised BurnBot’s innovative approach to combating wildfires and emphasized the company’s potential to create planetary-scale solutions. By partnering with BurnBot, ReGen Ventures aims to scale the deployment of innovative technologies to address wildfire risks and protect lives, property, and the environment.
With BurnBot’s technology poised to advance California’s wildfire prevention goals and the US Forest Service’s targets for fuels treatment, the Series A funding represents a significant milestone in the fight against destructive wildfires. BurnBot’s commitment to innovation and collaboration underscores its pivotal role in addressing one of the most pressing challenges facing communities worldwide.
