We build the robot. We keep it working.

We build the robot that maintains the ground before the sun is up.

SunUp Robotics builds a modular outdoor robot and delivers it as a service. Hardware, tools, autonomy and continuous support.

Join the Founding Facility Program Meet the robot
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Concept rendering

Every outdoor property has ground that someone has to clear.

Picking, hauling, grooming and clearing compete for the same staff hours. We are building a robot with interchangeable tools to take on those recurring jobs, so people can spend more time on care and skilled work.

Black-and-white sketch of a worker cleaning a horse paddock with a manure fork and wheelbarrow at dawn

Horse facilities

Manure, footing maintenance

Barn staff with forks and wheelbarrows.

Multiple times dailyStalls, paddocks, turnout and arenas
U.S. market context · 2023 6.6 million Horses in the United States

Horse population, not a facility count.

Source: American Horse Council (opens in a new tab) ↗
Black-and-white sketch of a dog daycare worker cleaning an outdoor exercise run between groups

Kennels & doggy daycares

Dog waste

Handlers walking the runs between groups, all day.

Multiple times dailyRuns and exercise yards
U.S. market context · 2025 $14.3 billion U.S. non-veterinary pet services

Includes boarding, grooming, insurance, training and other services.

Source: APPA (opens in a new tab) ↗
Black-and-white sketch of a maintenance crew collecting litter and seaweed on a resort beach at first light

Beaches & resorts

Litter, seaweed, debris

Crews with bags, or a rake towed behind a tractor.

RegularlyBeach and resort grounds
U.S. market context · 2024 $207 billion U.S. coastal tourism & recreation GDP

Broader coastal economy, including ocean-dependent hospitality and recreation.

Source: NOAA (opens in a new tab) ↗
Black-and-white sketch of a grounds worker collecting litter beside a campus parking lot and path

Lots & campuses

Litter

A walking crew overnight; sweeper trucks miss discrete debris.

Routine roundsLots, paths and gathering areas
U.S. market context · 2024 $11.6 billion U.S. parking lots & garages revenue

Parking-sector revenue; excludes the wider campus opportunity.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau via FRED (opens in a new tab) ↗
Black-and-white sketch of a grounds worker clearing autumn leaves from a park path and lawn

Parks & grounds

Leaves

Seasonal blower-and-vacuum crews brought in for the autumn.

Seasonal workLeaves on turf and pavement
U.S. market context · 2025 $188.8 billion U.S. landscaping services market

All landscaping services, not just leaf removal or public parks.

Source: NALP / IBISWorld (opens in a new tab) ↗
Black-and-white sketch of a homeowner cleaning a fenced backyard while a dog waits on the porch

Backyards

Dog waste

A scooper service once a week, or the owner with a bag and a bucket.

Recurring cleanupYards and shared pet areas
U.S. market context · 2025 71 million U.S. households own a dog

Dog-owning households; not all have a private yard.

Source: APPA (opens in a new tab) ↗

U.S. industry and population context, not the robotic-cleaning market. Years and measures differ; overlapping categories cannot be added. Images are AI-generated sketches.

One robotA shared mobile base, autonomy and service system
Many toolsA modular toolset for recurring outdoor tasks
One serviceDeployment, maintenance and support from SunUp
Outdoor work, end to end

From the first pass to the return to base.

See the robot, its working tool and the service cycle together: navigate the site, complete the task, unload and recharge.

BarnBot concept simulation: pickup, transport and return to base.

Do the work

Match the tool and operating settings to the task, terrain and material.

Adapt the toolset

Move from pickup to grooming or seasonal clearing on the same platform.

Handle interruptions

Yield space, stop when uncertain and make recovery clear to the operator.

The robot

Built to scale.
Deployed for your facility.

A shared robot platform scales across outdoor tasks and facility types. Modular tools and adaptable autonomy let us configure the same system for different environments and workflows.

Deployment support

Configured for your facility

Our deployment team works on site to assess terrain and workflows, configure tools and operating limits, map work areas and train your team. Ongoing field support keeps the robot aligned with your facility’s needs.

Platform
Outdoor mobile robot + modular tools
Deployment
On-site setup + ongoing field support
Business model
Robot as a Service (RaaS)
Concept rendering of the SunUp outdoor robot with its mobile base and pickup arm
SunUp outdoor robot platform concept.
Modular

Modular tools enable versatile outdoor work.

Swap tools to pick up waste, groom arenas and clear outdoor spaces. One robot handles different tasks with the same navigation, fleet support and service.

The tools

The tool roadmap below extends the same platform. Each configuration is validated for its task and terrain before deployment.

Wet

Vacuum head

Manure and dog waste, lifted off gravel, sand or turf into a sealed tank.

Dry

Gripper head

Cans, bottles and wrappers. A sweeper pushes this kind of litter around instead of collecting it.

Seasonal

Leaf head

Shreds and vacuums. Six weeks a year of work that currently needs a crew.

Sand

Sifter head

Screens debris out of sand and leaves the sand behind. Beaches and arenas.

Groom

Arena drag

Leveling bar, spring tines and finish mat. Configured for the site’s footing.

Hard surface

Brush head

Barn aisles, wash stalls and pavement, where the mess is fine rather than discrete.

Start with one recurring job. Add validated tools as your needs grow. Your service plan defines the tasks, tools and support included — expanding the work one robot can do.

Technology

Autonomy that turns intent into action.

We’re building an autonomy stack that connects sensor fusion and semantic mapping to task planning, motion planning and adaptive control — turning facility workflows into coordinated robot actions.

  1. Perception

    Understand the site

    • Sensor fusion & SLAM: Build a persistent 3D map and estimate robot position.
    • Semantic perception: Identify waste, terrain, people and animals.
    • Traversability: Understand usable ground and uncertainty.

  2. Task planning

    Decide what comes next

    • Workflow sequencing: Turn facility routines into ordered jobs.
    • Resource planning: Select tools and schedule unloading and charging.
    • Task recovery: Adjust the job sequence when conditions change.

  3. Motion planning

    Turn tasks into movement

    • Coverage planning: Generate routes through approved work areas.
    • Whole-body planning: Coordinate base movement and arm trajectories.
    • Online replanning: Adapt paths around obstacles and changing terrain.

  4. Adaptive control

    Execute & adapt

    • Adaptive motion: Account for traction, slip and changing payloads.
    • Tool-aware control: Coordinate pickup, grooming and docking.
    • Runtime monitoring: Check operating limits and trigger safe stops.
Team

Built by a team that has deployed robot learning models in the real world.

Learning-based robotics (vision-language-action models, diffusion policies, task and motion planning) combined with experience deploying robots around people, and first-hand knowledge of the facilities this robot serves.

Co-founder

Cathy Ye

PhD & MS in Computer Science, Cornell University

Her research includes deploying robots around older adults, where predictable behavior, accessible interaction and safety-aware design are essential. With first-hand experience in outdoor facility work, including at equine facilities, she understands the daily workflows and practical needs of the people who keep these spaces running.

Learning-based robotics · Human-centered deployment · Outdoor facility operations
Co-founder

Kim Ji

Left Cornell’s PhD program to build SunUpMS in Mechanical Engineering, University of PennsylvaniaMaster of Finance, UC Irvine

Kim brings experience across robotics, aerospace engineering and finance, connecting technical development with the operational and business demands of delivering a dependable robot service.

Robotics · Engineering · Business execution
Our team’s background
Cornell University University of Pennsylvania University of California, Irvine Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Robot as a Service · RaaS

You run the facility.
We keep the robot working.

A monthly service provides the robot, agreed toolset, software, maintenance and support. SunUp owns and maintains the fleet, with scope and service terms agreed for your site.

Set up

We assess the site, configure tasks and tools, map approved areas and train the people who will work with the robot.

Keep running

Maintenance, wear parts, software updates and operator support are part of the service plan.

Grow the work

Add validated tool configurations and tasks, with operating limits and service scope reviewed together.

Founding Facility Program

We’re looking for facilities to build this with.

Selected founding facilities help shape the robot through supervised trials, on-site engineering support and feedback on the daily workflow. Barns, kennels, daycares, grounds: if someone on your property spends an hour a day picking things up, we want to hear from you.

Non-binding, and no payment. It tells us who’s interested.

Tell us about your facility

Two minutes. Only the first three are required.

We’ll only use this to talk to you about the Founding Facility Program. No payment, no obligation, and we won’t share it.