Olis Robotics
Seattle, US · Founded 2013 · 14 employees on LinkedIn · 5 known investors
Olis Robotics provides remote monitoring, control, and troubleshooting solutions for industrial robots, serving over 50% of the global installed industrial robot fleet. The company was founded as a spinout from the University of Washington's Applied Physics Lab based on telerobotics research conducted with the U.S. Navy and NASA.
Also known as Olis
Investors · 5
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements- $4MraisedAug 2023 · 3 sources
PSL Ventures (lead), Tectonic Ventures, Ubiquity Ventures
Source ↗
Source: company announcements and press reports — follow each round's link for the claim.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Olis Robotics offers the Olis App, software for monitoring, diagnosing and troubleshooting industrial automation systems. The application is deployed on the factory floor rather than in the cloud, running on recommended Samsung Android tablets connected to robot controllers and PLCs via a USB-C to Ethernet adapter. The company states that no cloud dependency or specialized IT infrastructure is required and that data does not leave the building.
The product aggregates multiple controllers and camera streams in a single interface and provides a synchronized event timeline that aligns weeks of video, event conditions and historical machine state. Controller-specific capabilities include remote operation of the Universal Robots teach pendant with built-in SSH access, remote operation of the FANUC iPendant, an integrated KRTerm terminal for Kawasaki (including uploading and downloading backups), and remote Studio 5000 access plus a filterable, searchable PLC tag list with live values for Allen Bradley PLCs. Additional features cited are five-minute setup, real-time screen sharing and continuous video recording. Supported controllers listed are Allen Bradley, FANUC, Kawasaki, Universal Robots and Yaskawa, with ABB described as coming soon. Versions for Windows and Linux are also referenced.
The company positions the app as an access layer for AI agents: it is described as framework-agnostic and usable with agents such as Claude, GPT or custom agents, without requiring API keys because authentication is handled at the edge layer. AI actions are described as gated and supervised in an automation-safe sandbox in which agents observe and advise, exposing PLC signals, video streams and machine state for queries such as retrieving downtime events with relevant video clips, adding HMI widgets, or flagging throughput anomalies by timestamp.
Business model
Software is distributed as a downloadable application activated by a license key, which the site states is sent by email along with the download link. Customers supply their own hardware, with the company recommending specific Samsung Android tablets (listed at $199 and $506) and a USB-C to Ethernet adapter under $40.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market
Market position
Positioned as a vendor-agnostic diagnostic and remote-access layer spanning multiple robot brands and PLCs, with an on-premises deployment model contrasted against cloud-based monitoring. A quoted testimonial from the Chief Controls Engineer at Pearson Packaging states the technology provides more information more quickly, enabling faster problem solving.
Emphasis on edge deployment with no cloud dependency or data egress, five-minute setup using consumer tablets and a USB-C Ethernet dongle, a single interface covering multiple controller brands and camera streams, a synchronized event timeline combining video with event and state data, and AI-agent access without API key management.
Technology
Edge-deployed application running locally on Android tablets (and referenced Windows and Linux variants) that connects directly to robot controllers and PLCs over Ethernet. It ingests PLC signals, camera streams and machine state, provides remote pendant and terminal access (UR teach pendant, SSH, FANUC iPendant, Kawasaki KRTerm, Allen Bradley Studio 5000), continuous video recording, real-time screen sharing, and a synchronized timeline aligning video, event conditions and historical state. An edge authentication layer allows external AI agents to query system data without API keys, with agent actions gated in a supervised sandbox.
Go-to-market
Direct self-serve acquisition through the company website: prospects download the app, receive a license key by email, and purchase recommended tablets and adapters from third-party retailers such as Amazon or Best Buy. The site also offers a contact path for production monitoring inquiries and a newsletter for product updates.
System integrators and end users of industrial automation who need to monitor and troubleshoot robots locally or remotely, including manufacturers running Allen Bradley PLCs and robots from Universal Robots, FANUC, Kawasaki and Yaskawa.
Compiled by commissioned research from 1 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Founder mafia
2 people who came through Olis Robotics went on to found or lead other companies.
In the news
▸Research sources · 1
primary sources listed
- Olis Roboticsolisrobotics.com · web
1 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Olis Robotics do?
- Olis Robotics sells an edge-deployed Android app for monitoring, diagnosing and remotely operating industrial robots and PLCs.
- Who are Olis Robotics's investors?
- Olis Robotics's investors include Alliance of Angels, SeaChange, Tectonic Ventures, The W Fund, Ubiquity Ventures.
- Where is Olis Robotics headquartered?
- Olis Robotics is headquartered in Seattle, US.