Wind turbine maintenance and diagnostic robot manufacturing and service provider Aerones has raised $30 million in growth capital to expand its operations globally.
The capital will be used to help the company meet rapidly growing demand in the wind turbine maintenance market, which is expected to reach $50 billion by 2028.
The financing round is co-led by global growth equity investor Lightrock and European family-run growth equity investor Haniel. The YCombinator accelerator graduate was also supported in this round by new investor Blume Equity, a climate-focused growth capital investor, and existing investors: Change Ventures, Mantas Mikuckas, Metaplanet, Pace Ventures and Future Positive Capital.
The company currently serves customers representing 50% of the world’s wind power capacity, including leading operators such as NextEra, GE, Vestas, Enel and Siemens Gamesa. The company currently operates in North America, Europe and South America. The demand for the company’s services has more than tripled last year.
This funding round will enable Aerones to expand its technical and sales functions, increase the number of on-site robotic crew teams, expand its presence in fast-growing markets in Africa and Australia, and introduce new services to the market.
Dainis Krūze, co-founder and CEO of Aerones, comments: “These challenges on a global level prove that our mission and robotic solutions that ensure the efficient operation of wind energy resources on a global level are more important and in demand than ever. With the support of our new and existing investors, we hope to further expansion of our operations, development of technology and improvement of the offer.”
Nigel McCleave of Lightrock commented: “Aerones has developed a unique robotics platform that provides customers with a real return on investment in this huge and growing market. We are delighted to support Daina, Jānis and the entire Aerones team as they continue to drive down costs and inefficiencies in global wind power generation.
Philipp Goehre, Head of Growth Capital at Haniel, added: “We are very proud to partner with Aerones, which is changing the way wind turbines will be serviced in the future. It fits perfectly with our investment portfolio in climate technology and we will actively support the company, using both my experience and contacts.”
Aerones is the world’s leading provider of robotic wind turbine maintenance and inspection services. Using patented robotics technology, Aerones maintenance teams provide faster, safer and more efficient services to wind turbine operators around the world.
The company’s innovations to the industry enable intelligent predictive maintenance of wind turbine blades and towers, helping to maximize the efficiency of wind generators and reduce operating costs.
The company serves customers representing more than 50% of the world’s wind energy capacity, including leading operators such as NextEra, GE, Vestas, Enel and Siemens Gamesa. Aerones is headquartered in Riga, Latvia and has a North American branch in San Jose, USA.
Aerones is backed by leading investors including YCombinator, Lightrock and Haniel.
Lightrock is a global investor focused on transformation, growth capital and supporting entrepreneurs who are purposefully solving the world’s biggest problems. Lightrock invests in companies implementing scalable and technology-enabled business models that focus on fundamental themes such as people, planet and productivity/technology for the common good. Lightrock’s portfolio includes more than 85 high-growth companies in 14 countries across Europe, the US, Latin America, Latin America, Asia and Africa. The founder is Prince Max von Liechtenstein, chairman of Lightrock and LGT Group. Lightrock is backed by LGT, an international private banking and asset management group, and other leading global institutions.
