Voliro, an ETH Zurich spinoff specializing in aerial robotics, is fundamentally changing industrial safety by deploying drones that perform high-risk inspections, effectively removing humans from dangerous environments at height. While the company’s growth has been fueled by strategic commercial traction, its ascent was also marked by a series of fortunate encounters and calculated leadership transitions.
The Serendipity Behind a Series A Success
Securing venture capital is rarely a linear process, and Voliro’s path was no exception. Despite pitching to numerous firms, the breakthrough came through a chance meeting. CEO Florian Gutzwiller encountered a Mexican entrepreneur at a remote mountain bus stop, who strongly recommended he reach out to Cherry Ventures. This serendipitous connection ultimately led to Cherry Ventures spearheading Voliro’s Series A funding round.
From Angel Investor to CEO
Gutzwiller’s involvement with the company evolved organically. Following the sale of his previous venture, Open Systems, to private equity in 2017, he transitioned into angel investing. His commitment to Voliro deepened rapidly: he served as an entrepreneur-in-residence and later as executive chairman before officially succeeding former CEO Mina Kamel in November 2022.
Scaling the Platform Approach
Under Gutzwiller’s leadership, Voliro is aggressively expanding its platform capabilities. The company is preparing to integrate third-party sensors capable of detecting corrosion beneath insulation, marking a significant step forward in diagnostic precision. Looking ahead, the roadmap includes autonomous maintenance tasks, such as rust removal and the application of protective coatings.
The immediate priority remains scaling the client base within the oil, gas, and energy sectors—industries where the demand for reducing human exposure to hazardous work at height remains a critical operational driver.
