Autonomous technologies, particularly in robotics, must operate safely to prevent accidents and harm. Proper safeguards help ensure reliable and predictable performance. 3Laws is a platform that introduces customizable safeguards into autonomous and human-operated systems. The platform is fully plug-and-play, integrating with your existing software, sensors, and hardware to avoid collisions, implement geofencing, stabilize operations, and manage faults—all at a fraction of the cost and time required to build an internal proprietary system. A key differentiator of the platform, compared to other systems, is its dynamic safety guardrails that ensure maximum output without impeding operations, making it ideal for adoption in high-performance environments. Developed by professors at Caltech, 3Laws is currently in use across a wide range of applications, including the US Air Force, industrial applications, and drone field operations.
LA TechWatch caught up with 3Laws CEO and Founder Andrew Singletary to learn more about the business, the company’s strategic plans, recent round of funding, and much, much more…
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
3Laws raised a $4.1M Seed round.
Tell us about your product or service.
3Laws makes Dynamic Safety Guardrails for autonomous and human-operated systems. These act like a virtual force-field around the system, making sure that they cannot run into anything or move past their pre-defined limits. The company’s universal safety layer ensures that systems perform as intended with maximum output.
What inspired the start of 3Laws?
The founders of 3Laws were inspired by Isaac Asimov’s 3 laws of robotics which, in sum, posit that robots shall not harm humans. The founders of the technology have created a system that provides mathematical certainly that systems operate as intended.
How is it different?
Our product is different in two ways: performance and universality. Rather than slowing down or stopping the system, like most safety systems, we ensure that the systems stay productive while staying safe by dynamically re-planning the motion of the robot. Secondly, it works universally across any moving system, whether it is a miliary fighter jet or a household vacuum cleaner.
What market you are targeting and how big is it?
The market for autonomy is tremendous and continuously growing, thanks to advancing technology (supply) and aging demographics (demand). 3Laws’s initial focus is warehouse automation.
What’s your business model?
3Laws is a B2B business that licenses its software on a recurring basis.
How are you preparing for a potential economic slowdown?
3Laws does not like economic slowdowns but does not mind them. Economic slowdowns create the imperative to make existing business more efficient, making autonomy and autonomous production even more important, especially for market leaders. 3Laws will enable any company that is adopting autonomy to perform faster, safer, and more optimally.
What was the funding process like?
The fundraising process was a great opportunity for 3Laws to refine our messaging and roadmap. After a few iterations on these two items, the fundraising process went smoothly.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
The first few investor conversations of a fundraising cycle are always a challenge, so having some friendlies give honest feedback early was critical. The other biggest challenge was time management between the fundraise and the rest of the business. Remember that progressing the company forward will help with the fundraise as well, so don’t let it take up all of your time and energy.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
The key factors for investors were (1) the quality of the team; (2) the depth of the company’s technology; (3) existing customer engagements; and (4) long-term market trends.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
3Laws is growing. We need to continue hiring the best-possible talent for our existing roles so that we can continue our market execution.
What advice can you offer companies in Los Angeles that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Leveraging automation tools can be an incredibly powerful way to increase output without increasing costs. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and GitHub Copilot can reduce dramatically accelerate your workflow and let your team accomplish more with fewer people.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
Continuing growing an excellent team – and delivering the best possible results for our customers.
What’s your favorite outdoor activity in LA?
Walking the pooch in Lacy Park.
