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Planted Solar, a solar software and robotics startup, raised $12 million for a second tranche of a Series A, the company tells Axios Pro.

Why it matters: Investors are looking for tech that can lower the cost of solar projects, following the sunsetting of the tax credits in the U.S.  

Zoom in: The round was anchored by Piva Capital and included existing investors Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Khosla Ventures. 

Developers using Planted's software and robots can build higher density projects on smaller portions in half the time, and with lower costs because of the automation and company's fixed tilt array.

Planted Solar CEO Eric Brown says the funds will support growing production capacity of its solar deployment robots, and international expansion. 

Zoom out: The U.S. solar industry is likely to see a rush of projects in the short term as companies race to take advantage of the tax credits, followed by slower growth. 

Brown sees a shakeout happening in 2027 and 2028 "for all kinds of [solar] projects that previously made sense when they had 30 to 50% tax credits available to them."

State of play: There's a growing number of startups and solar developers turning to robots to lower costs and speed up projects. 

Built Robotics, an SF-based startup that uses robots to get the ground ready for utility-scale solar projects, raised $114 million from investors including Building Ventures, Founders Fund, Fifth Wall, Lemnos, New Enterprise Associates, Next47, Presidio Ventures, and Tiger Global. 

Power company AES Corporation has created a robotic solar installer named Maximo that automates the heavy lifting for placing and attaching solar modules.

Yes, but: Robotics still play a small role in solar project development.

The bottom line: That could change as solar developers get squeezed by the end of the tax credits. 

Exclusive: Planted Solar raises $12M for solar developer robots

Investors are backing solar startups that can lower costs as tax credits fade

Rows of blue solar panels installed on metal frames in a dry grassy field under a clear blue sky with distant hills.

A Planted Solar array installed on existing vegetation in 2024 in Northern California. Photo courtesy of Planted Solar

Planted Solar, a solar software and robotics startup, raised $12 million for a second tranche of a Series A, the company tells Axios Pro.Why it matters: Investors are looking for tech that can lower the cost of solar projects, following <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the sunsetting" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/pro/climate-deals/2025/07/07/clean-energy-evs-big-beautiful-bill-new-reality" data-vars-content-id="5e6e8d16-29e9-4320-b84c-63c4f5daa057" data-vars-headline="Exclusive: Planted Solar raises $12M for solar developer robots" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/pro/climate-deals/2025/07/07/clean-energy-evs-big-beautiful-bill-new-reality" target="_self">the sunsetting</a> of the tax credits in the U.S.

Exclusive: Planted Solar raises $12M for solar developer robots

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