Canvas
CEO: Kevin Albert
Founded: 2017
HQ: San Francisco, CA
The Canvas system represents a bold new way to build and a first glimpse into the future of construction. Few industries have been deemed as essential as construction, yet working conditions across many sites make it difficult to maintain physical distancing and other safety guidelines while getting work done in a predictable and cost-effective manner. Formed as a spinoff of Otherlab, a privately held research lab, Canvas has raised $19 million to date from investors including Innovation Endeavors, Obvious Ventures, Brick & Mortar Ventures, and Grit Ventures. Canvas improves quality and safety by complementing the expertise and skills of union workers who operate the company’s tools on job sites. Canvas is a proud signatory to District Council 16 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades and trains and hires union workers for projects as a subcontractor.
As the business has prepared for national scale during its stealth period, Canvas crews have worked on a number of high-profile projects, including San Francisco International Airport Harvey Milk Terminal 1; the UCSF Wayne and Gladys Valley Center for Vision; and the global HQ at Chase Arena Towers for a tech client; in addition to several other projects for confidential Bay Area companies. The Canvas system consistently delivers better than Level 5 finishing, the industry hallmark of quality; reduces finishing times; provides a dust-free environment; and helps workers avoid many of the repetitive motions and height requirements that lead to injury. https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/construction-robot.mp4?_=1 (video courtesy of Canvas)