Summer Robotics Raises Series A Financing led by Applied Ventures, LLC

Rick Van Valkenburg joins as Chief Commercial Officer to accelerate commercial growth

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Summer Robotics, a pioneer in machine vision for vision-guided robotics, today announced it completed the first closing of its Series A financing. The round was led by Applied Ventures, LLC, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc., with participation from Solasta Ventures, Naver, and other investors.

The funding will accelerate the company's Kortx machine vision platform, which enables robots to operate in dynamic, unstructured environments, under a wide range of lighting conditions — thus unlocking new automation capabilities in manufacturing, logistics, as well as humanoid applications.

Summer Robotics also announced the appointment of Rick Van Valkenburg as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Rick brings nearly 30 years of experience in automation and machine vision, including 28 years at Perceptron Inc., where he held leadership roles driving commercial growth and global partnerships.

"Our Kortx platform is enabling robotics applications that were not feasible with existing solutions," said Schuyler Cullen, CEO of Summer Robotics. "This Series A investment validates our vision and allows us to scale faster. Rick's leadership will be pivotal as we expand our commercial footprint."

"After nearly three decades in this field, I believe Summer Robotics is building something truly transformative," said Rick Van Valkenburg. "I'm excited to help bring this technology to market."

The company has already launched pilot programs with automotive manufacturers and is expanding into additional industries seeking advanced automation.

"Summer Robotics' breakthrough technology is set to unlock spatial intelligence for AI to better understand the physical world," said John Wei, Senior Director at Applied Ventures, LLC. "We're excited to support them as they enter their next phase of growth."

About Summer Robotics
Summer Robotics develops next-generation automation solutions powered by its Kortx machine vision platform, combining AI, computer vision, and high-speed imaging to enable robots to perform in unstructured environments. Founded in 2020, the company is headquartered in Campbell, CA.

Media contact: [email protected]

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SOURCE Summer Robotics