• 2 min read
Sheryl Sandberg backs Self Inspection with $10M
Sheryl Sandberg led a $10 million round for Self Inspection, which uses smartphone photos and AI to assess vehicle damage at scale.
Image: TechCrunch
Self Inspection, a San Diego startup building software to assess vehicle damage with nothing more than a smartphone camera, has raised $10 million in a round led by Sheryl Sandberg.
The company, founded in 2021, told TechCrunch it has already completed more than 1 million vehicle inspections for rental fleets, automotive finance companies, auctions, and marketplaces. Stellantis' financial services arm is using the platform for corporate-owned vehicles and lease-end inspections.
“The biggest technology companies are built by transforming industries that are massive, essential, and ready for change. Vehicle condition touches billions of dollars in automotive decisions every year, yet the data remains fragmented. That is changing. We believe Self Inspection will build the system of record that the automotive industry needs.”
The round was led by Sandberg Bernthal Venture Partners, Sandberg’s family office, and included strategic investments from U.S. AutoForce and Westlake Financial. Existing backers DVx Ventures, the firm founded by former Tesla president Jon McNeill, as well as Costanoa Ventures, Rebellion Ventures, and BrightCap Ventures also invested.
Recommended reading
Evolute i-Sky slips to fall 2026 launch
Self Inspection’s vehicle inspection software. Image credit: Self Inspection
Self Inspection is one of several startups trying to update automotive workflows with AI. While companies such as Toma and Flai are focused on dealership communications, and UVeye is taking a more infrastructure-heavy approach to inspections, Self Inspection is pitching a simpler model: send a link, let a driver or owner upload photos, and let the software do the rest.
According to the company, the software guides users through capturing the full vehicle, then compares the images against what it describes as “one of the largest datasets of damaged vehicles” to identify damage and estimate severity. It then generates a repair-cost estimate and a detailed inspection report. CEO Constantine Yaremtso previously told TechCrunch that the report is comparable to what a body shop would provide, including labor, repair costs, and parts needed. He also said the platform can pull data from an OBD2 computer for more detailed diagnostics.
Self Inspection said its platform has helped customers cut costs by more than $80 million and save over 300,000 operational hours. The startup plans to use the new funding to develop more products, sign more enterprise customers, and expand into Europe.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via TechCrunch
