Percepto Founder and CEO Departs After 12 Years

Israeli autonomous systems company Percepto announced that its founder and CEO of 12 years, Dor Abuhazira, is stepping down. His departure follows that of another co-founder, Ariel Avitan, who left his role as Chief Commercial Officer after 11 years.

Abuhazira reflected on the company's 12-year journey, which began with homemade drones and evolved into a leading autonomous drone company. Avitan had previously shared his departure, noting Percepto's rise as a key player in autonomous monitoring of critical infrastructure.

Concurrently with the leadership changes, Percepto is launching Axion, a "Physical AI" software platform. Axion is designed to analyze visual data from Percepto drones and third-party sensors and drone fleets, enabling organizations to identify infrastructure failures and prioritize maintenance.

Founded in 2014, Percepto develops autonomous drone systems for inspecting complex industrial facilities, including energy plants and oil and gas sites. The company has raised significant funding over the years, with notable rounds in 2017 ($11.5 million), 2019 ($15 million), 2020 ($45 million), and a $67 million round in June 2023. In 2022, Percepto laid off 21 employees, about 12% of its workforce, as part of cost-cutting measures amid a challenging macroeconomic environment.