Fort Robotics
Founded 2018 · 69 employees on LinkedIn · 15 known investors
FORT provides a distributed control platform that enables autonomous systems and robots to operate safely and securely alongside people across industries including warehousing, construction, defense, agriculture, and transportation. The platform combines hardware, software, and ecosystem integrations to reduce risk and maintain control while maximizing machine productivity.
Also known as FORT · FORT Robotics, Inc.
Founders & leadership
Fort Robotics was founded in 2018 by Samuel Reeves.
Investors · 15
Also in the syndicate · 5
Company profile
researched Aug 2026FORT Robotics is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based company that develops safety, security and control infrastructure for robots and autonomous systems. Its offering, marketed as the "Trust Layer for Physical AI," combines hardware, software and services and is organized around three pillars: Human-in-the-Loop Control (safety-certified wireless control for line-of-sight or remote operation, including emergency stop), Inside-Out Safety (rules-based onboard active safety, depth perception and collision avoidance using sensors on the robot), and Outside-In Safety (rules-based logic that reuses environmental sensors such as cameras, lidar, fire safety systems and door/access controls to govern mixed fleets).
The hardware line includes safe remote controls, the Wireless E-Stop and Wireless E-Stop Pro, a nano safety controller, endpoint controller, wired remote control and a vehicle safety controller. Software products cover connectivity aggregation, remote operation, inside-out and outside-in safety logic, and FORT Manager. Services span safety architecture, 24/7 support, deployment/integration and field services, customer success and fleet analytics, and product and safety training. FORT states it does not manufacture sensors but builds the rules engine that converts sensor data into safety decisions, which can be designed in from the start to reduce sensor bill-of-materials cost or layered on top of an existing sensor stack. Earlier company descriptions characterize the offering as a "Robotics Control Platform" (RCP) for safe, secure, dynamic control.
FORT targets warehousing, construction, agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, lawn care, delivery and defense. Company materials cite SIL 3 certification by Exida per IEC 61508 and worldwide approvals including FCC, IC, CE Mark, Giteki Mark and Regulatory Compliance Mark, and state that FORT leadership participates in standards bodies for industrial and service robots.
Founding story
FORT was founded in 2018 by Samuel Reeves. Reeves had spent roughly a decade working on landmine clearance using robotics, and observed that while AI and robotics were advancing quickly, the infrastructure needed for safe and secure operation of machines in the real world — particularly secure communications in sectors such as construction, agriculture and warehousing — did not exist. The company was created to fill that gap with a platform enabling autonomous machines to operate reliably, communicate securely and act safely at scale, under a stated mission that robots cause no harm. Company materials note FORT grew out of a company that built robots for landmine clearance.
Business model
FORT sells a combination of safety hardware devices, software/platform products and professional services (safety architecture, integration, training, support, fleet analytics) to robot builders (OEMs) and to operators deploying machine fleets. One source describes the company as licensing its safety platform to global companies. FORT positions itself as a machine-agnostic, independent source of trust that can span mixed fleets across a worksite.
Sources describe hardware devices, software products and paid services, and one source refers to licensing the safety platform to companies; no pricing, contract structure or revenue figures are disclosed.
Traction
Company site reports more than 600 customers served, 19,000+ devices in use and 25 patents earned; the August 2025 funding announcement cited over 500 customers, an estimated 12,000 units deployed and 27 patents, and management described sharp acceleration in new customers and growth from existing users. Total disclosed funding stands at $60.5 million as of August 2025. Customers are described as including Fortune 500 companies and robotics/AI leaders; one third-party profile states the platform is licensed to more than 100 global companies including dozens of Fortune 1000 firms.
Latest developments
The most recent items listed by the company are a press release announcing plans to go public through a business combination with Newbury Street II Acquisition Corp; the extension of the Trust Layer with Outside-In Safety in collaboration with NVIDIA Halos for Robotics; integration of the RAS-G Interoperability Profile with OpenJAUS for MOSA-compliant ground autonomy control; the acquisition of Mapless AI; the appointment of Rinus Strydom as Chief Revenue Officer; the FORT 26.1 software release; an Advantech partnership powered by NVIDIA IGX Thor; and the launch of the Wireless E-Stop Pro. The company site carries a 2026 copyright notice.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
FORT presents itself as a specialist independent safety layer for the robotics industry, contrasting its dynamic, distributed and fleet-wide approach with static legacy industrial safety (fences, light curtains, hard-wired e-stops). Company materials cite more than 600 customers and 19,000+ devices in use, while August 2025 press cited over 500 customers and an estimated 12,000 units deployed. FORT frames the market opportunity around a stated $9 trillion global robotics opportunity and cites unplanned downtime costing Global 500 manufacturers 11% of revenue, or $1.4 trillion per year.
Positioning as a dedicated, machine-agnostic functional-safety specialist with certified technology (SIL 3 via Exida) and international regulatory approvals; a patented wireless communication protocol that works across networks; a sensor-agnostic rules engine that can lower sensor bill-of-materials cost or be added to existing sensor stacks; combined hardware, software and services that shorten safety certification and time to market; and participation in robot safety standards bodies.
Technology
SIL 3-certified (per IEC 61508, certified by Exida) safety infrastructure built on rugged hardware, secure software and a patented communication protocol designed to operate over any wireless network, supporting commands such as emergency stop and crawl. A rules engine converts data from on-robot and environmental sensors into real-time safety decisions, enabling responses like slowing, rerouting or stopping while reducing false stops. Third-party material also describes endpoint controllers able to command up to 30 machines, IP-rated hardware, drop detection and anti-hacking protocols, and Foundation Series (R&D/simple applications) versus Pro Series (production, cloud configuration, IP communications, embedded integration) product lines. Company site reports 25 patents; 2025 press reports 27 patents.
Go-to-market
Direct enterprise sales supported by consultative safety services that help customers accelerate functional safety certification and time to market, plus ecosystem partnerships and integrations — for example with NVIDIA (Halos for Robotics), Advantech (NVIDIA IGX Thor), OpenJAUS for defense interoperability, and, per one third-party profile, Foundries.io. The company publishes press releases, a blog and a resources library, and offers consultations and demos through its site.
Robot and machine builders (OEMs) and end users operating autonomous or remotely controlled equipment, including Fortune 500 firms and robotics/AI leaders, across warehousing, construction, agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, delivery, lawn care and defense. Sources also cite autonomous vehicle, factory automation and humanoid robot developers as demand drivers.
Geography
Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, with customers described as worldwide; products carry international certifications (FCC, IC, CE Mark, Giteki Mark, Regulatory Compliance Mark) and the company cites expanded international compliance as a use of funds. Investors include Ryuu Co. of Japan.
History
Founded in 2018 in Philadelphia, FORT initially focused on hardware-centric wireless safety products (wireless e-stops, safe remote controls, vehicle safety controllers, endpoint controllers) marketed as a Robotics Control Platform, later expanding into software, services and a broader platform. It raised a $13 million Series A in March 2021, a $25 million Series B in July 2022, and an additional $18.9 million Series B tranche announced in August 2025 led by Tiger Global, bringing total funding to $60.5 million; three new board members joined at that time. Subsequent announcements listed on the company's site include the acquisition of Mapless AI, participation in NVIDIA's Halos for Robotics ecosystem, a partnership with Advantech, the Wireless E-Stop Pro launch, the FORT 26.1 software release, the hiring of Rinus Strydom as CRO, and a planned business combination with Newbury Street II Acquisition Corp to become a public company.
Risks & controversies
Sources disclose no litigation or controversies. Notable data inconsistencies exist across sources: total funding is reported as $60.5 million (company and press, August 2025) versus $57.0 million across three rounds by a third-party aggregator; patent counts differ (25 on the site versus 27 in 2025 press); customer counts differ (600+ versus more than 500 versus more than 100 in one aggregator profile); and one aggregator lists an implausible employee figure (10,000+) alongside a note of roughly 25 employees as of 2019. The listed plan to go public via a SPAC-style business combination is announced but not evidenced as completed. Business risks referenced in company material include safety certification acting as a bottleneck to robot deployment and scale.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Competitors · 1
by search overlap
Companies competing with Fort Robotics for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
Timeline · 10
launches, deals, and filingsA press release headline on FORT's site states that FORT acquired Mapless AI to expand its Trust Platform with new capabilities. No terms or date detail are given in the sources.
FORT announced Rinus Strydom as Chief Revenue Officer; he is listed among senior leadership as CRO.
A press release listed on FORT's website announces that FORT Robotics is to go public via a business combination with Newbury Street II Acquisition Corp; no further details or completion status are provided in the sources.
Press release headline announcing a partnership between Advantech and FORT on safety for physical AI, powered by NVIDIA IGX Thor.
FORT announced extending its Trust Layer for physical AI with Outside-In Safety in collaboration with NVIDIA Halos for Robotics.
FORT published details of its latest software release, FORT 26.1.
FORT announced integration of the RAS-G Interoperability Profile with OpenJAUS to support MOSA-compliant ground autonomy control for defense applications.
FORT introduced the Wireless E-Stop Pro, described as next-generation worksite safety hardware.
FORT Robotics announced the close of an additional $18.9 million for its Series B round, led by Tiger Global, bringing total funding to $60.5 million. Funds are earmarked for product enhancements (new communication protocols, API integrations, expanded international compliance), next-generation safety and data analytics, and growth acceleration.
$18.9M source ↗
FORT appointed Kirk D. Brown (COO/CFO of SportsMedia Technology, former COO of Overwatch Geospatial), Jorge Heraud (CEO of TerraBlaster, former CEO of Blue River Technology and VP of Automation at John Deere), and Benjamin G. Wolff (President and CEO of Palladyne AI, co-founder and CEO of Clearwire) to its board.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Fort Roboticsfortrobotics.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Fort Robotics do?
- FORT Robotics builds a safety and control "Trust Layer" of hardware, software and services for autonomous machines.
- Who founded Fort Robotics?
- Fort Robotics was founded by Samuel Reeves in 2018.
- Who are Fort Robotics's investors?
- Fort Robotics's investors include Avant Labs, Compound, Creative Ventures, FundersClub, GRIDS Capital, Stanley Ventures, Lemnos VC, Prime Movers Lab and 2 more.