Infinite Uptime, a startup based in India, has secured $35 million in Series C funding to expand its presence in the US and other markets, offering predictive maintenance solutions for factories.

The manufacturing sector has been slow to adopt technology, with many industries still relying on aging machines that consume significant amounts of energy. However, modern technology is gradually being integrated into factories, particularly in the areas of maintenance and repairs, which is the primary focus of Infinite Uptime.

According to the company, its predictive maintenance and repair recommendations are made possible through the use of proprietary sensors, software analytics, and AI-based diagnostics. Additionally, it offers a smart dashboard that enables live monitoring capabilities.

Infinite Uptime’s founder, Raunak Bhinge, explained that the company provides manufacturers with precise recommendations and intervention points, specifying exactly what needs to be done in the plant, which parameters need to be examined, and which assets require correction.

The startup’s piezoelectric sensors are capable of providing diagnostics in high-temperature environments and complex acidic conditions, such as those found in phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid plants. The company has secured around five patents in this area, according to Bhinge.

While this is not an entirely new market opportunity, large manufacturers like Rockwell, Siemens, and Honeywell have been using AI-based automation in factories for some time. Similarly, startups like Augury are helping factories detect machine issues using sensors and AI.

However, Bhinge believes that Infinite Uptime’s tech stack is “fairly unique” and that its approach differs from that of its larger competitors, which often use programmable logic controllers (PLC) or programmable limit switches (PLS). He also argues that battery-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) offered by some startups have limited use cases and are not effective in high-temperature applications.

Infinite Uptime targets manufacturers in the steel, cement, metals, mining, fertilizers, chemicals, and paper industries, and partners with OEMs to integrate its AI layer into their new products.

The company claims that its solutions have helped customers achieve downtime savings of 74,274 hours and improve productivity, energy efficiency, safety, and compliance by 5-10%.

Currently, Infinite Uptime serves 800 plants in nearly 30 countries, and with the new funding, it plans to expand its US presence further. The Series C funding round was led by Avataar Ventures, with participation from StepStone Group and LGVP, as well as existing investors Tiger Global and GSR Ventures. This brings the company’s total capital raised to around $65 million since its inception in 2015, according to Crunchbase.

Bhinge stated that the startup’s revenue has doubled every year for the past three years, and it is operationally cash-flow positive. The company intends to use the fresh funding for product development and may explore M&A opportunities to scale further.

Infinite Uptime, which has approximately 350 employees, also plans to invest in R&D and data science to enhance its AI insights and “further close the gap between build capacity and actual production, while improving production efficiency,” according to Bhinge.

The company is focused on helping manufacturers “use less energy per ton of production from their existing build capacity,” Bhinge said.