Andrew Ashur, founder and CEO of Lucid Bots, jokes that his company is the opposite of today’s robotics industry. While others show off dancing bots or flipping demos, his drones clean windows safely and efficiently.

In North Carolina, Lucid Bots has been making dirt under its fingernails for five years, manufacturing full-stack robots to support cleaning companies on job sites. With a $20 million Series B round, the company aims to scale up capacity to meet demand, though Ashur notes they’ve run out of parking spots at their facility.

The idea came from a harrowing scene: watching window washers struggle in harsh weather conditions. Lucid Bots now sells its Sherpa drones and Lavo robots, having shipped over 1,000 units since launch in 2018. Sales have grown rapidly, proving the demand for their technology.

Ashur’s background as a liberal arts student turned robotics entrepreneur highlights the gap between theory and practical application. His company is now looking to expand its drones’ capabilities into other maintenance tasks like painting, waterproofing and sealing.

While Lucid Bots focuses on real-world solutions, many robotics firms continue to chase headlines with fancier demos, Ashur notes wryly. The future of robotics might just be in keeping windows clean.