FabricaAI is a Singapore-based startup founded by Keefe Wayne Teo, Jakub Suchánek, and Ronald Luc, in 2022; focusing on accelerating robot development for construction using simulation, AI, and reinforcement learning. Their flagship innovation is an autonomous tile-grouting robot that improves productivity by up to 5×. FabricaAI is transforming construction automation and has piloted its solutions across Singapore and internationally.
Woh Hup Pte Ltd is one of Singapore’s largest and most established privately owned construction and civil engineering specialists. Established in 1927, Woh Hup has a workforce of more than 1,400 and a portfolio of notable, iconic developments, including Jewel Changi Airport, Gardens by the Bay, and Skysuites @ Anson. The company is widely recognised for its commitment to quality, safety, innovation, and its role in shaping Singapore’s Built Environment.
As the construction industry evolves, the sector remains heavily labour-dependent, and Woh Hup continues to seek smarter ways to improve efficiency. One such opportunity lies in tile grouting, a repetitive, labour-intensive task. Woh Hup has been supporting Fabrica AI to develop an AI-powered robotic solution to automate this process, reducing manual labour requirements while improving consistency and productivity on-site.
Fabrica.AI developed an autonomous tile grouting robot that operates at the push of a button, with no need for BIM models or prior setup. Compact and lightweight, the robot navigates tight spaces in smaller homes and can grout an entire apartment independently. Now deployed with Woh Hup and BHCC, it delivers consistent, high-quality results while reducing reliance on manual labour.
The robot boosts productivity by up to 5×, as it automatically grouts and cleans tile gaps. Operators only need to handle simple tasks like loading materials, boundary taping, and daily maintenance, taking about 30 minutes per apartment. With this innovation, Woh Hup has achieved over 100% productivity improvement, addressing manpower challenges while ensuring uniform quality with minimal supervision.
Our ultimate vision is to fully automate the process of inventing robots, essentially creating a ChatGPT for hardware design. In the near term, we’re enhancing our existing solutions with features like automated quality checks on tile placement and exploring adjacent innovations, such as a robot that automates the cleaning of grout lines - another labour-intensive task currently done manually with penknives. This solution will complement our tile grouting robot, offering strong technical synergy.
BEAMP has been invaluable in providing deep insights into the construction sector. It connected Fabrica AI directly with industry experts and gave them critical on-site experience working with CSOs like Woh Hup. The programme has bridged them to a traditional industry; supporting their marketing and research, and allowed them to focus on refining their robots to meet and exceed quality expectations.
Keefe Wayne Teo
Co-founder, Fabrica AI
