Rocsys has secured EUR33 million (USD 37 million) to further develop its autonomous charging solutions for electric transport as it expands its presence in the United States and Europe. 

The Series A funding round was led by SEB Greentech Venture Capital, and included participation from Graduate Entrepreneur, the European Investment Bank and returning investor Forward.One.

Rocsys combines soft robotics and artificial intelligence- (AI) based computer vision to convert existing chargers into an autonomous system that can plug in and out without manual intervention.

The system can be used for consumer and fleet vehicles, including port equipment and industrial and heavy-duty applications.  

SEB investment manager Mikko Huumo says: “At SEB, we invest in companies with proven sustainability impact, real-world and scalable use cases, and strong growth.

“Rocsys makes electrification practical for vehicles ranging from personal autonomous cars to continuously operating heavy-duty equipment, a major source of emissions. 

“We are thrilled to lead the company’s funding round and accelerate the sustainable transportation revolution.” 

Rocsys co-founder and chief executive officer Crijn Bouman says: “There’s too much friction in the electric vehicle charging process today, creating needless barriers to sustainable transportation.

“That’s why we created a technology-agnostic solution that converts any charger into a fully automated experience, maximising the return on investment and sustainability impact of already-installed charging infrastructure.” 

The capital infusion will support research and development into additional features, including intelligent parking guidance, expanded software integrations for vehicle navigation and fleet management systems as well as additional remote diagnostics and teleoperations support. 

Rocsys also plans to expand its North American division, headquartered in Portland, Oregon.

Rocsys has partnerships with Hyster, Taylor Machine Works and SSA Marine and is the leading robotics company in ROCIN-ECO, a charging consortium that includes Audi, Porsche, BMW, Ford and Mercedes-Benz, that plans to develop standardised fast-charging infrastructure along high-volume European transportation routes.