Indian entrepreneur and film producer Ronnie Screwvala has invested in Origin, a startup that develops AI-powered robots to make construction work faster and easier.
In a LinkedIn post, Screwvala explained how the company's technology could help solve common delays in home renovation, where painting jobs often take much longer than expected.
“Anyone in India who has got their house or office painted knows the drill,” he wrote, describing how jobs meant to take four or five days can stretch to 15 days, with plumbing and electrical work sometimes forcing walls to be redone.
Screwvala believes Origin's robots can help make construction work faster and reduce delays. He has invested in the startup through Unilazer Ventures, alongside Accel and Zacua Ventures, which jointly led its $20 million funding round.
Announcing the funding on X, Origin co-founder Yogesh Ghaturle said the company is “building general-purpose robots for interior construction.” The investment will help Origin improve its technology and enable its robots to take on more construction tasks.
What Does Origin's Robot Do?
Origin's OG-1 robot is being used at construction sites in New York, where it can finish walls three times faster than humans. It handles tasks such as sanding, applying joint compound and preparing walls for painting. It can reach heights of up to 14 feet and is compact enough to pass through regular doorways and work in narrow spaces.
Origin plans to expand its use to plumbing and electrical work, aiming to build robots that can perform multiple construction jobs. Supporting the startup, Ronnie Screwvala called it “deep-tech hardware, engineered in India, solving a problem for builders around the world.”
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Who Is Ronnie Screwvala?
Ronnie Screwvala is an Indian entrepreneur, investor and film producer. He helped bring cable TV to India and built UTV into a major media company that worked with global brands such as Disney, News Corp, 20th Century Fox and Bloomberg. In 2012, Disney bought UTV for around $1.4 billion.
Screwvala is also the chairperson and co-founder of upGrad, an education technology company. Through Unilazer Ventures, he invests in businesses across different sectors, including emerging technologies.
His investment in Origin highlights his interest in technology designed to solve practical problems and improve efficiency across industries.
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