Vancouver-based A&K Robotics has closed a CAD8mn ($5.8mn) Series A round to scale production of its Cruz autonomous mobility pods for airport terminals, the company announced on April 21, Emerging Travel has learned.
AI-powered robotics are rapidly reshaping airport operations, offering a solution to mounting pressures from rising passenger volumes, labour shortages, and heightened security demands. From autonomous cleaning machines and baggage-handling robots to AI-driven security screening and customer service assistants, airports are deploying intelligent systems to streamline workflows and improve efficiency across terminals. Airports in the Gulf region have seen a significant increase in AI use in recent months, with a global race to streamline airport services with the technology.
Funding round
The round was led by BDC Capital’s Industrial Innovation Venture Fund, part of Canada’s largest venture capital investor, and Vantage Futures, the corporate venture arm of Vantage Group, which develops airport and transportation infrastructure globally. Other investors include RiSC Capital, Grep VC, Nimbus Synergies and Dan Gelbart, co-founder of Creo and Kardium.
Cruz is a self-driving vehicle built for indoor use. Passengers select a destination and the pod navigates autonomously using onboard sensors and AI, adjusting its path around pedestrian traffic. The system is designed to run continuously, giving airports a way to provide passenger mobility at scale without relying on staff availability.
The product is already deployed at Vancouver International Airport, which has been named best airport in North America 15 times by Skytrax, and at Madrid-Barajas, operated by Aena, the world’s largest airport operator by passenger numbers with more than 380mn travellers a year.
“Air travel is chaotic enough — getting to your gate shouldn’t be part of the problem,” chief executive Matthew Anderson said. “We’re building the infrastructure that helps airports move more people, more safely, and with greater independence.”
Demand for airport assistance is growing by 10-15% annually, outpacing passenger growth, with roughly 17% of the global population living with mobility limitations.
The funding will support A&K’s shift from pilot programmes to permanent deployments. The company is opening a third facility in Surrey, British Columbia, expanding manufacturing capacity from dozens to hundreds of units a year.
“Their ability to deploy in dense, high-traffic airport environments positions them as a key partner for operators looking to improve operational efficiency and scale autonomous mobility across global networks,” Vantage Futures executive managing director Matthew Handford said.