RISE® Robotics: 2024 Year in Review & What’s Ahead
2024 was a year of significant growth and breakthroughs. We couldn’t have done it without you—our dedicated supporters, partners, and team members. Let's take a look back at the remarkable moments that shaped our journey.
Key Milestones
January:
Presented the MHU-83 full system concept design to the USAF, meeting a key contract milestone in the MHU-83 program.
February:
Successfully completed 10k lb UltraLight All-Terrain Forklift USAF contract on time.
Lifted 22 tons for the first time using a Beltdraulic™ compression cylinder, setting us up for the next test…
March:
Lifted the target payload of 7,000 lb at an extension of 7 feet on the MHU-83 arm for the first time, meeting a key performance requirement for the MHU-83.
April:
Filed a new patent on redirecting our belt across any of 6 axes, unlocking greater packaging flexibility of Beltdraulics compared to other electric actuators.
Closed a $15M round with the participation of 22 dedicated investors to advance our technology and prototypes in their commercialization journey.
Demonstrated six degrees of movement of the MHU-83 arm at the USAF Senior Managers Conference, meeting another key performance requirement for the MHU-83.
May:
Welcomed new CEO, Hiten Sonpal to accelerate commercialization of RISE technology and product.
Successfully completed MHU-83 USAF contract on time.
Announced Beltdraulic as the name for RISE’s hydraulics-replacement technology, a term that easily explains the difference from hydraulics.
June:
Formulated our commercialization strategy with a focus on product launches in 2025, and realigned our project and resource plans.
Defined the MVP for our Liftgate and kicked-off plans for our next Liftgate pilot.
Defined the MVP for our Beltdraulic Developer Kit.
July:
Significantly expanded our embedded team to start development of our Developer Kit.
Delivered to the USAF a complete digital twin of a full mission of the MHU-174 inside an intermediate maintenance facility completing loading operations. This demonstrated that the MHU-174 could successfully perform the standard mission.
August:
Exhibited our MHU prototype arm at iVT expo and expanded our potential OEM partner network.
Applied to and were selected to join the prestigious NYU EFL accelerator in their Deep Tech track. This mentorship program supports promising startups by helping them grow their business, scale their teams and advance human welfare through science and technology based entrepreneurship. Only 6% of applicants were accepted in the 2024-2025 cohort.
September:
Completed service life testing of our double-acting Beltdraulic cylinder prototype, creating confidence in our ability to ship double-acting cylinders samples in 1H’25.
October:
Launched our community investment round under the SEC’s “Testing the Waters” program to turn RISE followers into our champions.
Exhibited our Liftgate at the ATA MCE show in Nashville and expanded our potential partner network.
November:
Unveiled a preview of the Beltdraulic Developer Kit at Techcrunch Disrupt in San Francisco and received feedback from investors and other founders.
December:
Presented Beltdraulic technology for the first time at the Design of Zero-Emissions Off-Highway Machinery Conference in Chicago, where we connected with several heavy machinery OEMs.
Successfully demonstrated improvements made to the MHU-174 arm to Global Strike Command leadership at Barksdale AFB in Bossier City, LA. This was a key milestone in the MHU-174 contract.
Decided to officially launch our community investment round, and closed our lead investor.
Looking Ahead: 2025 & Beyond
The momentum we built in 2024 will propel us into an exciting future. Here’s a peek at what’s to come:
Community Round: Join our next chapter by participating in our commuity round.
New Products: We will launch our Beltdraulic Developer Kit and the Beltdraulic Railgate.
Growth Round: We intend to raise capital from institutional investors on the basis of traction of our commercial products.
New DoD Contracts: We expect to submit proposals and win DoD contracts to continue maturing our MHU arm and exploring new use cases for the Common Lifting Device.
Diverse Funding: We plan to find sources of non-dilutive capital beyond the DoD.
New IP: We intend to expand our patent moat through the generation of new IP around our Beltdraulic technology.
More Partnerships: We expect to form partnerships with new OEMs through our Developer Kit, and with telematics providers and trailer manufacturers for our Liftgate.
Contract Manufacturing: We plan to select a CM for our Beltdraulic cylinders to support demand for our Developer Kit and Liftgate and scale our business.
Thank You!
2024 was a year of many accomplishments, but we’re only getting started. Thank you for your unwavering support—let’s continue to innovate and grow together!
Stay Connected
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Arron Acosta, Co-founder and VP of Business Development
Hiten Sonpal, CEO
