Boston-based robotics startup building LUMI, a tracked robot that installs 80 lb solar panels 3.5x faster than manual labor at utility-scale solar farms.
Luminous Robotics, Inc. is a robotics and AI company founded in August 2023 and headquartered at 12 Channel Street, Suite 202, Boston, MA 02210. The company was founded by CEO Jay M. Wong with the mission to accelerate solar farm construction by a factor of up to 10x through robotic automation.
The company's primary product is LUMI, a tracked mobile robot equipped with an industrial robotic arm and AI-driven perception system designed to pick up and place solar photovoltaic panels onto racking structures at utility-scale and community solar farm construction sites. LUMI handles panels weighing up to 80 lb (36.2 kg), reducing heavy-lifting demands on human workers. According to the company, LUMI enables existing installation crews to work up to 3.5 times faster without requiring workflow changes or retraining.
The robot integrates computer vision, AI-based grasping algorithms, and fleet management software to adapt to different panel sizes, racking configurations, and site terrain conditions. The platform is designed to operate on both small community solar projects and large utility-scale installations. In July 2025, Luminous secured a $4.8 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as the inaugural recipient of ARENA's $100 million Solar ScaleUp Challenge, to fund the deployment of a fleet of five LUMI robots in Australia.
Australian deployment sites include the 440 MW Neoen Culcairn Solar Farm in New South Wales and the 250 MW Engie Goorambat East Solar Farm in Victoria, in partnership with energy services company Equans. The company estimates LUMI can reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for solar PV by up to 6.2%. Luminous employs approximately 25 staff and conducts R&D and assembly at its South Boston facility.
Luminous Robotics is backed by LMnT (venture capital) among other investors.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
Tracked solar construction robot that picks and places 80 lb panels onto racking 3.5x faster than manual crews.
Contact Luminous Robotics
WEBSITE
https://www.luminousrobotics.comHEADQUARTERS
United States
Company Facts
Founded
2023
Primary Role
Manufacturer
Company Size
-
Primary Region
North America
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
-
Funding Total
-
