Sonibel Raises $1.6M for Acoustic Welding Error Detection Sensor
Sonibel, a startup founded by University of British Columbia graduates Hooman Pirouz, Sophia Millar, and George Hollo, has secured $1.6 million USD in pre-seed funding. The company developed an acoustic sensor that mounts to welding torches to detect errors in real-time by analyzing sound patterns. Proper welds produce consistent noises, while deviations indicate issues with voltage or speed, allowing the system’s machine-learning model to alert welders immediately. This technology aims to reduce the significant backlog and costs associated with fixing defective welds, which can lead to structural failures. The funding round was led by Maple VC, with participation from Champion Hill Ventures and Dorm Room Fund. Sonibel plans to use the capital to refine its product into a plug-and-play solution and engage with a waitlist of approximately 50 fabrication shops. Although founded in Canada, the team is incorporating in Delaware and relocating to the United States to access faster resources and a larger investment ecosystem. The startup already has a pilot customer, a Fortune 100 company building transmission towers, and claims its solution can cut welding error costs by over 30 percent.
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Sonibel Raises $1.6M for Acoustic Welding Error Detection Sensor
Sonibel, a startup founded by University of British Columbia graduates Hooman Pirouz, Sophia Millar, and George Hollo, has secured $1.6 million USD in pre-seed funding. The company developed an acoustic sensor that mounts to welding torches to detect errors in real-time by analyzing sound patterns. Proper welds produce consistent noises, while deviations indicate issues with voltage or speed, allowing the system’s machine-learning model to alert welders immediately. This technology aims to reduce the significant backlog and costs associated with fixing defective welds, which can lead to structural failures. The funding round was led by Maple VC, with participation from Champion Hill Ventures and Dorm Room Fund. Sonibel plans to use the capital to refine its product into a plug-and-play solution and engage with a waitlist of approximately 50 fabrication shops. Although founded in Canada, the team is incorporating in Delaware and relocating to the United States to access faster resources and a larger investment ecosystem. The startup already has a pilot customer, a Fortune 100 company building transmission towers, and claims its solution can cut welding error costs by over 30 percent.
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