Contoro Robotics :: AI-Powered Autonomous Robots Focused on Unloading Non-Palletized Boxes

Contoro Robotics is an Austin, Texas-based robotics startup founded in 2022. The company develops AI-powered autonomous robots focused on one of the most labor-intensive and physically demanding tasks in logistics: unloading non-palletized (floor-loaded) boxes from trailers and shipping containers. Contoro combines advanced robotics, artificial intelligence, and human-in-the-loop (HITL) teleoperation to deliver reliable, safe, and cost-effective automation solutions for warehouses, distribution centers, and third-party logistics (3PL) providers.

The company’s core innovation is its human-augmented AI approach. While traditional automation struggles with the endless variability of box sizes, weights, stacking patterns, and container conditions, Contoro’s robots use customer-specific AI models that improve over time. When the AI encounters difficult edge cases, remote human operators can intervene via teleoperation, ensuring high success rates (reportedly over 99%) while continuing to collect data to strengthen the AI.

Key robot-based products and features include:

• Autonomous Unloading Robot (“Dock Duck”): A mobile robotic system built around a reliable industrial-grade KUKA robotic arm. It features a patented DuoGrasp Gripper that grips boxes from two sides for stability, handling boxes from 8″ to 30″ in dimension and up to 65 lbs. The robot includes a mobile base with a built-in conveyor belt, allowing it to autonomously enter and exit trailers/containers.
• Advanced Sensing & Perception: Uses sensor fusion (cameras, depth sensors, and motion planning) for real-time environmental understanding and safe navigation.
• InteleOp Teleoperation System: Enables remote human supervision and intervention for maximum reliability.
• AdaptAI Platform: Foundational models trained on real operational data for improved autonomy over time.

Contoro offers its solution primarily as a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, charged per container unloaded, with no large upfront capital investment or long-term contracts required. This flexible approach allows customers to scale capacity based on demand. The system is designed for quick deployment, high safety standards, and easy movement between docks.

The company has achieved notable milestones, including unloading over 100 trailers autonomously at partners like States Logistics. It raised a $12M Series A in 2025 to scale operations and expand its fleet. Contoro is actively targeting the warehouse automation market to address labor shortages, reduce workplace injuries, and improve throughput in supply chains.