Oslo-based startup Sonair, a developer of ultrasonic sensing technology for autonomous machines, has secured $6 million to accelerate the rollout of ADAR, a 3D ultrasonic sensor for robots.
- Founded by Knut Sandven, Sonair builds patented acoustic detection and ranging (ADAR) technology that uses sound waves in air to provide robots with a precise, real-time 3D view of their surroundings. Its sensor enables safer human-machine collaboration in warehouses, hospitals, shops, and other shared spaces.
- ADAR is already shipping to manufacturers across Asia, Europe, and North America, with target applications in logistics and manufacturing robotics, a market projected to reach $15.6 billion by 2030.
- Sonair's customers include Japan’s Fuji Corporation, which is testing ADAR in retail robots, and a European robotics company building autonomous cleaning systems for commercial buildings.
"For robots to operate alongside humans, safety has to be built in from the start," says Knut Sandven, CEO and co-founder of Sonair. "ADAR gives manufacturers a straightforward and affordable way to achieve that."
- The $6M round was led by Copenhagen-based VC Scale Capital and Norway’s state-backed Investinor, with continued support from RunwayFBU (part of the Aker group), SINTEF, and ProVenture.
- The new funding provides Sonair with the backing to scale production, meet rising global demand, and strengthen long-term growth.
"Sonair makes robot safety simple," comments Terkel Douglas, Investment Manager at Scale Capital. "By pushing the technical limits of sensing, they’ve moved robotics forward in a safe and cost-effective way. This is European deep tech at its best."
