The construction and mining industries face a critical labor shortage, with thousands of machines sitting idle because there aren't enough skilled operators to run them. Teleo exists to solve this problem by converting existing heavy equipment into supervised autonomous machines. Their retrofit kit transforms standard construction equipment - dozers, trucks, loaders, and excavators - into semi-autonomous robots that can be operated remotely from a comfortable command center, enabling a single operator to supervise multiple machines simultaneously.
This isn't just about automation; it's about fundamentally improving how work gets done in hazardous environments. Operators no longer need to endure extreme temperatures, dust, noise, and safety risks. Instead, they can control equipment from an office environment, instantly switching between machines and job sites. By retrofitting existing fleets rather than requiring new equipment purchases, Teleo makes autonomy accessible today. The company, founded in 2019 by Vinay Shet and Rom Clement - former leaders from Lyft's self-driving division and Google Street View - has deployed its technology across multiple continents and is backed by Y Combinator and top-tier investors including UP.Partners and F-Prime Capital.