Kodama Systems
About
About Kodama Systems
Kodama Systems develops remote-operation and supervised-autonomy systems for forestry equipment. Founded in 2021, the Sonora, California company retrofits existing skidders with its RS1 platform, combining lidar and cameras, ruggedised onboard computing, vehicle monitoring and satellite communications. Operators control equipment through live video and machine telemetry, while onboard perception and control support work in rugged terrain. A separate emergency-stop and hold-to-run circuit provides a safety layer independent of application software.
The business also supplies managed skidding services, using either a customer’s machine or a Kodama-provided skidder with qualified remote operators and support. This connects its hardware and software development to commercial logging workflows. In October 2026, Kodama reported that equipped machines had moved more than 100,000 tons of timber over six months across multiple southeastern U.S. states. Its development work focuses on expanding equipment support and allowing experienced operators to supervise increasingly automated tasks.
Operations
Operating milestones
- Operating milestone
2026-10-19 - Kodama reports that equipped forestry machines moved more than 100,000 tons of timber across multiple states over six months. - Kodama-equipped forestry machines across multiple southeastern U.S. states
Source
Funding
- 2026-10-19 - Undisclosed round - $7M - Kodama Systems raises $7 million for forestry robotics
kodama-systems completed financing from the disclosed investors. - source: globenewswire.com
- 2022-12-15 - Seed - $6.6M - Kodama Systems raises $6.6 million seed financing
kodama-systems completed financing from the disclosed investors. - source: kodama.ai
Investors
- Breakthrough Energy Ventures - Lead - VC - 2 funding events - repeat backer - first seen 2022-12-15 - latest 2026-10-19
- Congruent Ventures - Lead - VC - 2 funding events - repeat backer - first seen 2022-12-15 - latest 2026-10-19
- Blue Forest Asset Management - Participant - Unknown - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-19
- Breakwater Ventures - Lead - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-19
- Dangerous Ventures - Participant - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-19
- Konvoy Ventures - Lead - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-19
- M1C - Participant - Unknown - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-19
- NYA Ventures - Participant - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-19
Team
- Merritt Jenkins - Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
- Matt Verminski - Co-founder (2021)
Timeline
Events
- 2026-10-19 - Funding - Kodama Systems raises $7 million for forestry robotics
Konvoy Ventures and Breakwater Ventures co-led the round; six other named investors participated. The capital supports expanded commercial deployments, OEM partnerships and further off-road autonomy development. Kodama reported more than 100,000 tons of timber moved by equipped machines across multiple states during the preceding six months.
Source - 2025-08-28 - Demonstration - Kodama demonstrates remotely operated skidder at Louisiana logging site
The machine was remotely operated from hundreds of miles away while attendees observed it moving timber at a final-harvest site. The retrofit combines cameras, GPS, lidar, onboard computing and satellite and radio communications. Kodama offers managed skidding services using customer-provided or company-provided machines with qualified remote operators.
Source - 2024-10-03 - Demonstration - Kodama demonstrates Autopilot with Weiler forestry equipment
An operator controlled a log skidder from hundreds of miles away through a satellite connection. The demonstration at Mother Lode Fairgrounds was supported by a collaboration with Weiler Forestry. The announcement offered pilots for 2025 and described autonomy as subsequent development, separating remote operation from autonomous deployment.
Source - 2022-12-15 - Funding - Kodama Systems raises $6.6 million seed financing
The seed proceeds supported forestry automation and markets for low-value woody biomass. CAL FIRE separately awarded a business-development grant for connectivity and forest-thinning automation. Frontier Climate separately backed a biomass-storage pilot with Yale’s Carbon Containment Lab; those grants are distinct from the seed round.
Source
Context
Shared workflows
- Force Dimension
workflow adjacency - Robotic Teleoperation
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- avatarin
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- Crobot Technologies
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- AVITA
workflow adjacency - Robotic Teleoperation
Context tags
- Robotic teleoperation - Workflow - RS1 retrofits forestry machinery with remote human control, camera/lidar sensing and independent safety circuits; supervised autonomy development is distinct from fully driverless…