GroundedAI

What it does

GroundedAI provides a software platform designed to digitize and streamline the capture, communication, and analysis of field observations in underground construction. By integrating AI, the platform helps engineers, geologists, and project managers record ground composition, rock quality, and other subsurface data in real time. The platform consists of two core products:

• Lithos: Enables field teams to capture accurate 3D data, photos, and notes offline without disrupting operations.
• Strata: Converts field data into shared visualizations, mappable datasets, and repeatable reports for decision-making.

These tools aim to replace fragmented workflows (whiteboards, scattered photos, delayed reports) with a connected, unified system. The platform integrates with existing software like Leapfrog, Deswik, and AutoCAD for long-term analysis.

Who it is for

The platform is built for operations teams in:

• Underground Mining – to keep geology, ground support, and planning aligned.
• Tunnelling – to document conditions daily and respond early to changing ground.
• Engineering Consulting – to deliver high-trust, defensible outputs across projects.

Specific roles include site engineers, geotechnical engineers, rock mechanics engineers, tunnel RES meeting participants, and management teams. The platform is designed for everyday operational decisions, from validating excavation support to classifying ore vs. waste.

Why it matters

Traditional underground workflows are disconnected: planning relies on assumptions, data is scattered across photos and notes, teams lack shared context, and reports are delayed. GroundedAI claims to reduce decision-making time for ground support design by 40% (based on a customer testimonial from Hatch’s Senior Rock Mechanics Engineer). By creating a shared source of truth, the platform aims to speed up decisions, reduce debate, and lower costs. As one customer noted: “If the geological record doesn't keep pace with construction, you're documenting from memory — and that's not a record, it's an estimate.”

Launch signal

In early 2025, GroundedAI announced a $2 million seed funding round, as reported by BetaKit. The funding is intended to help modernize tunnel building and facilitate Canada’s major infrastructure projects push. The company is headquartered in British Columbia, Canada, and was founded by Shelby Yee. The funding signal indicates early market traction and investor confidence in the platform's approach.

Brand and naming

The name “GroundedAI” cleverly combines two concepts: “Grounded” refers both to being physically connected to the ground (underground construction) and to being pragmatic or evidence-based. “AI” highlights the use of artificial intelligence to streamline data capture and analysis. The brand is memorable, clearly positioning the company at the intersection of construction technology and AI. The tagline “Building a system of record for underground construction” reinforces its mission to become the definitive data platform for subsurface operations.