Discover Niobia, a San Francisco startup deploying autonomous AI units directly onto battery and chip manufacturing equipment.
The platform combines open-source models trained on research data with customer-managed encryption keys, allowing engineers to troubleshoot production flaws via an internal chatbot as the company builds toward fully self-driving factories.
Making batteries and chips is a difficult process where mistakes often cost millions and delay production. Niobia is trying to reduce the time it takes to find out what went wrong.
How the system works
The company places autonomous AI units directly on factory machines. These systems identify production defects and allow engineers to ask a chatbot-like program about the causes.
The company's co-founders, Gaurav Jha and Harveen Kaur, have PhDs in chemistry and previous experience in chip and battery manufacturers.
Data protection and technology
The technology is based on open AI models trained on research data. Because factories don’t want to share their secrets, Niobia allows its customers to hold their own encryption keys.
The company is initially focusing on three specific processes: film coating, electroplating, and fluidized bed reaction. Its ultimate goal is to create a fully autonomous factory.
Presentation at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Niobia is a finalist in the Startup Battlefield competition at the TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 conference, where it is presenting its technology.
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