NEWS

The original founders of Lucid Bots with then-Governor Roy Cooper: Andrew Ashur, Gov. Cooper, Adrian Mayans, and David Danielson. (l-r) (News of Davidson photo from 2018)

Author: Jay Pfeifer

A new partnership will give Davidson College graduates an opportunity to expand the frontiers of robotics and artificial intelligence.

The Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Davidson College and Lucid Bots Inc. will partner to establish structured, paid pathways connecting Davidson students with Lucid Bots’ robotics testing and development.

Lucid Bots is the leading platform for autonomous drones and robots for exterior cleaning in the United States. It was founded in 2018 while founder and CEO Andrew Ashur was a student at Davidson College. Ashur and his co-founders wrote the business plan and built prototypes at the Hurt Hub before graduating in 2019.

The parties will create the Davidson Innovation Fellows Program, a 12-month fellowship for recent Davidson graduates that may be extended for up to five years. Lucid Bots expects to host up to four Davidson Innovation Fellows annually, providing immersive, applied experience across robotics testing, engineering, software development, data analysis, operations and customer operations.

“Establishing the Davidson Innovation Fellows is a true 'full-circle' moment as we work with Andrew and his team who were the first company to launch at the Hurt Hub,” said Liz Brigham, W. Spencer Mitchem ’59 Executive Director at the Hurt Hub at Davidson College. “The program creates a clear pathway for Davidson graduates to apply rigorous liberal arts thinking to real-world robotics challenges, while strengthening workforce development connections in North Carolina.”

The agreement also establishes a priority pipeline for Davidson College internships and high-impact experiential learning opportunities at Lucid Bots, expanding options for students seeking hands-on work in frontier technology and related fields. In partnership with the Matthews Center for Career Development, the opportunities are currently live on Handshake for students to apply. The initiative also outlines new opportunities for faculty research and engagement, including access to Lucid Bots’ private partners and research collaborators in areas of mutual interest.

As part of the collaboration supporting Lucid Bots, students may gain access to the company’s labs and testing spaces for student-led ventures and experiments, enabling practical work alongside industry-grade tools, environments and development cycles. The partnership is intended to deepen experiential learning while strengthening connections between classroom learning, applied research and emerging technology work.

About Davidson College

Davidson College is a highly selective, independent liberal arts college for undergraduate study, established in 1837 by Presbyterians of North Carolina. Located in Davidson, North Carolina, the college focuses on preparing students for lives of leadership and service through a commitment to high academic standards and the honor system.

About Lucid Bots

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Lucid Bots is the leading platform for autonomous exterior cleaning in the United States. The company designs, manufactures, and supports its products domestically, including the Sherpa exterior cleaning drone and the Lavo AI autonomous pressure washing robot. Through Lucid Refresh, the company's full-service subscription platform, operators gain access to Lucid's hardware, Lucid Command software, training, job intelligence, and equipment coverage under a single subscription — giving professional cleaning businesses the capability to take on and execute high-value work at scale. Lucid Bots is backed by Cubit Capital, Idea Fund Partners, Danu Ventures, Y Combinator, and others. Total funding to date: $34 million.