Before autonomous robots and machines became trendy, Swap Robotics was ahead of the curve — developing cutting-edge technology with a mission to create net-positive environmental sustainability impacts.

​As the world increasingly transitions to solar energy, one of the biggest challenges lies in the harsh, inhospitable conditions workers face when installing solar panels across thousands of acr​e​s​.

​​“Swap Robotics offers a solution by making the job far less exhausting while boosting productivity,” says Tim Lichti (BA ’14), CEO and co-founder. “Our technology is essentially a force multipl​i​​e​​​r​.​”​​​ ​

​​Swap Robotics emerged as a Velocity startup in 2019 to become a leader in utility-scale solar robotics. Today, dozens of its robots have been deployed across Canada and the U.S., helping accelerate the clean energy transition by making solar more affordable and scalable. The company has raised more than $15 million USD from major players in the solar industry and holds several patents for pioneering solutions in t​h​​e​​​ ​f​i​​​​​e​​​l​d​​​.​

​Reflecting on his time at the University of Waterloo, Lichti credits Velocity — the University’s centre of entrepreneurship — for helping Swap Robotics take flight. “The access to space, resources and being surrounded by other tech entrepreneurs was an instrumental part of our journey.”