After 14 years of incubation within semiconductor giant Intel, RealSense has officially launched as an independent company. The startup, which specializes in advanced stereoscopic imaging technology, has secured $50 million in Series A funding led by Intel Capital and other strategic investors to accelerate its growth and market reach.
Revolutionizing 3D Perception for Machines
RealSense develops sophisticated cameras that utilize stereoscopic imaging—a process that captures two angles of an object to create high-precision depth maps, further enhanced by infrared light. This capability is critical for robots, drones, and autonomous vehicles, enabling them to perceive the physical world with the accuracy required for real-time decision-making.
“The common denominator for all these applications is that they operate in the real, physical world,” explains CEO Nadav Orbach. “They need to understand their surroundings in 3D to plan and execute actions. Providing that high-accuracy, real-time understanding is where we excel.”
From Intel Incubation to Market Leader
Nadav Orbach, a veteran who joined Intel in 2006, transitioned to vision technology in 2011. Under his leadership, the division evolved from early experimentation in gesture recognition to a dominant force in robotics. The technology has found diverse utility, from monitoring volume in fish farms to tracking inventory levels at Chipotle through a partnership with AI firm PreciTaste.
With a customer base exceeding 3,000, RealSense has experienced a significant surge in demand over the last four years, driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. Recognizing that the company needed greater agility to scale, leadership initiated the spinout process last year with the support of former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger.
Strategic Focus and Future Growth
The transition to an independent entity marks a pivotal moment for the team. Orbach, who previously served as the general manager of incubation and disruptive innovation at Intel, described the fundraising process as a “humbling and exciting experience.”
RealSense plans to deploy the $50 million in capital toward two primary objectives:
- Expanding Market Presence: Building out a dedicated go-to-market team to handle global demand.
- Technological Innovation: Enhancing depth-sensing capabilities to improve safety in human-robot interactions and refining access control systems.
By operating independently, RealSense is now positioned to respond more effectively to the evolving needs of the robotics and automation industries, turning a long-held vision into a scalable, standalone business.