Houston robotics company partners with Marathon Petroleum to scale fleet

Houston- and Boston-based Square Robot Inc. has entered into a strategic partnership with Marathon Petroleum Corp., one of the largest downstream and midstream energy companies in the U.S., to expand the use of robotic technology for industrial tank inspections. As part of the agreement, Marathon has provided undisclosed funding that will help Square Robot refine the design and development of its submersible robotics platform and scale its inspection fleet nationwide. Square Robot’s CEO, David Lamont, described the partnership as a major milestone in the company’s mission to modernize tank inspection processes. He highlighted that robotic inspections eliminate the need for confined space entry, reduce environmental impact, improve safety, and lower costs while allowing storage tanks to remain operational during inspections. The partnership builds on Square Robot’s recent growth. The company raised $13 million in a Series B funding round last year, which it said would support international expansion in Europe and the Middle East. Square Robot specializes in autonomous, submersible robots designed to inspect storage tanks without exposing workers to hazardous or toxic environments. This fall, the company commercially launched its latest inspection robot, the SR-3HT, which is certified to operate across a wider temperature range than earlier models. Founded in the Boston area in 2016, Square Robot expanded to Houston in 2019, positioning itself close to major energy and industrial customers.