ROBOROAD, a Korean startup developing AI-powered robotic solutions for unmanned road pavement maintenance, has secured seed funding. The round was backed by Seoul Techno Holdings, BNK Venture Investment, and BDC Accelerator.

The company has also been selected for the TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup) program run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, recommended by Seoul Techno Holdings. Through TIPS, ROBOROAD will receive approximately USD $343,000 (500 million KRW) in government R&D funding over the next two years.

Founded in early 2025, ROBOROAD aims to transform the road maintenance industry, which has long relied on visual inspection and manual labor. The company brings together AI road traffic infrastructure experts, including CEO Namho Kim, who made history as the first Korean engineer in Formula 1 Grand Prix, and Director Jinwoo Lee, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at KAIST. The team has already completed prototypes of autonomous repair robots and a road pavement management system.

ROBOROAD plans to develop a comprehensive system that applies AI innovation across the entire maintenance process—from road inspection and damage repair to ongoing management. The solution is designed to reduce the personnel and equipment needed for road maintenance while enabling faster response to road damage. This approach promises to significantly cut pavement maintenance budgets, reduce safety accidents caused by workers being exposed on roads, and minimize vehicle damage from deteriorated road conditions.

In December 2025, ROBOROAD conducted a technical proof of concept for an “AI-based Road Pavement Maintenance Solution” as part of Gyeonggi Province’s AI Master Plan project. The demonstration, which showcased the autonomous repair robot fixing potholes on actual roads, drew considerable attention from local government officials and road maintenance industry professionals.

“We deeply appreciate the investors who have supported our AX (Artificial Intelligence Transformation) roadmap,” said CEO Namho Kim. “Based on this trust, we will prove through results that ROBOROAD’s solution is an innovative alternative that will redefine the standards of the road maintenance market and field.”