Cutting-edge tech maps underground infrastructure

One company combines hi-tech hardware and software to make infrastructure mapping more accurate

Spotted: By some estimates, there are more than 20 million miles of buried pipelines, cables, and wires in the US alone. Inaccurate or insufficient mapping means that every time a utility digs to conduct repairs or new installations, they risk striking and damaging some of this infrastructure. The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) estimates this costs more than $30 billion (around €27.7 billion) each year across the US.

To lower the cost and energy losses from utility strikes, artificial intelligence innovator Exodigo has developed a system that can provide accurate mapping of the subsurface. The platform combines sensors, 3D imaging, cloud simulations, and proprietary AI analysis to provide easy-to-read maps of the subsurface in specific areas.

Exodigo collects more than 500 gigabytes of data for every acre it scans. The company claims that it can typically locate 20-30 per cent more utility lines than other locators and reduce preliminary digging or drilling by up to 90 per cent. This means that utility construction and repair teams can save time, energy, and money by excavating only where necessary.

These advantages have helped Exodigo to close a recent series A funding round that raised $105 million (around €122 million). Since its launch in 2022, the company has raised a total of $118 million, including $30 million that had previously been secured in SAFEs (Simple Agreement for Future Equity). Exodigo plans to use the new capital to expand its global team, accelerate the development of a self-service product line, and support expansion into new markets.

Tools like AI and satellites are making mapping much more precise. Springwise has spotted many innovations including the use of drones to map how heat leaks out of buildings and the use of LiDAR to map the health of forests.

Written By: Lisa Magloff