Oakland Startup Planted Raised $31.8 Million

The construction robotics firm will use the funds to expand its automated solar installation fleet.

Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Robotics

A robotic industrial arm working on a large-scale array of solar panels in a dry, open construction field. — Oakland-based startup Planted has secured $31.8 million in Series A funding to expand its fleet of automated solar-installation robots for large-scale energy projects. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you support the use of robots to speed up local solar power installations?

Oakland-based startup Planted has secured $31.8 million in a new series funding round. The company plans to use the capital to scale its automated installation robots for solar projects.

Why it matters

Planted aims to solve critical labor, land, and interconnection constraints within the renewable energy market. Its robotic technology is designed to streamline the installation of large-scale solar arrays.

Planted technology operates on slopes up to 27% and requires two acres per megawatt. The system reduces structural balance-of-system steel requirements by 70%.

The players

Planted

This Oakland-based startup develops automated construction robots and software for the solar energy sector.

Piva Capital

This investment firm co-led the funding round and focuses on supporting industrial transformation.

RA Capital Management Planetary Health

This investment group co-led the funding round with a focus on sustainable health and environmental technologies.

The details

The firm pairs proprietary project development software and digital twins with automated robots that install arrays in a continuous sheet format. This approach was recently demonstrated in the completion of an 11 MW community solar project in Chicago, and the company now maintains a project pipeline exceeding 20 GW.

Planted projects reaching 100 MW of field installations in 2026.
The rollout of the Sage installation robot is scheduled for late 2026.
The company plans to introduce powered land offerings in 2027.

The Tech Race

The adoption of fixed-tilt, terrain-following racking marks a departure from traditional rigid, flat-land mounting systems in the utility-scale solar industry. Planted's automated robot technology extends the utility of this equipment by optimizing deployment speed and steel usage on uneven surfaces.

The firm's automation focus aims to lower installation costs, which could eventually reduce the total cost of renewable energy projects. Faster installation timelines may also accelerate the deployment of community solar projects for local residents.

The takeaway

Advancements in robotic construction are increasingly addressing the physical barriers to scaling renewable energy. By automating installation, firms like Planted are making solar projects viable on land that was previously considered too difficult or expensive to develop.