AI Startup 1872 Scores $15M in Seed Funding Round

The company will use the funding to expand its operations and accelerate product development.

1872 is bringing AI-powered factory automation to the steel manufacturing industry, which has been slow to adopt new technology. Its system combines AI software with advanced automation technology from companies such as Ohio-based Path Robotics to improve production.

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The platform automates heavy fabrication work that has traditionally depended on manual labor, which is becoming harder to find. Some automation is already running at 1872, and the company expects to achieve full factory automation by 2027.

1872's AI platform manages the entire welding and manufacturing process. It handles everything from ordering materials and logistics to reading 3D designs, controlling robots and machines, and moving large steel parts around the factory.

The steel manufacturing industry still depends on many manual and time-consuming processes. By automating these tasks, 1872 aims to reduce production times from months or even years to just a few weeks.

1872's first factory will act as a model for its future operations. It will show how the company can use AI to automate the entire production process for fabricated metal parts. The company plans to use this technology to build more factories in the future and expand its AI-powered manufacturing platform into other industries.

“The future of manufacturing will be built by companies willing to rethink how critical infrastructure gets made, and 1872 is one of those companies,” said Andy Lonsberry, CEO and co-founder of Path Robotics. “Their ambition to modernize heavy manufacturing aligns closely with our mission to bring physical AI to the industries that build the world’s most critical infrastructure.

“Camp Washington has been one of Cincinnati’s most important industrial districts for more than 150 years, and 1872 proves that its next chapter is being written right here,” said Jill Meyer, Founding Partner at The O.H.I.O. Fund. “It signals that Cincinnati means business when it comes to advanced manufacturing investment.”

"We believe Ohio is going to lead America's manufacturing comeback, and that takes proven people, big markets, and real innovation," said Mike Venerable, Founding Partner of The O.H.I.O. Fund. "This team helped scale SpaceX through a period of extraordinary technical and commercial growth. Now they’ve built a new industrial company from scratch in a remarkably short period of time. Great things are ahead.”

“This seed funding from The O.H.I.O. Fund allows us to begin production for customers at what we believe will be the first advanced, autonomous steel fabrication factory in the United States,” said Dan Summers, co-founder and CEO of 1872. “Our goal is to create a new model and foundation for American manufacturing, with our software orchestrating robotics and production operations to deliver a faster, more efficient, and safer fabrication process.

About 1872 AI

Founded by Dan Summers and Michael Grant, 1872 develops AI-powered factory automation solutions for manufacturers. Its technology combines AI software with advanced automation from companies such as Ohio-based Path Robotics to automate heavy fabrication work that has traditionally depended on manual labor, which is now in short supply.

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