Robotic process automation startup UiPath Inc. has raised a healthy $153 million in new funding, giving it a “unicorn” valuation topping $1.1 billion.

The Series B round was led by Accel and included CapitalG, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Earlybird’s Digital East Fund, Credo Ventures and Seedcamp.

Founded in 2012, UiPath is building an Enterprise RPA platform that allows users to design and deploy software robots that can emulate and execute repetitive processes, what the company terms “digital workers” that are able to boost business productivity and enhance customer service. “It’s the future of automation of software development,” said James Kobielus, lead analyst for data science, deep learning and application development at Wikibon, the analyst group owned by SiliconANGLE Media.

In an interview with SiliconANGLE’s theCube in January, Bobby Patrick (pictured), chief marketing officer at UiPath, explained that the company’s technology “has perfected the ability to replicate and emulate a human user interacting with multiple systems.”

UiPath grew to 700 customers in 2017 including BMW Group, Dairy Farm Group, Dentsu, Huawei, Morningstar and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group.

Two organizations using the technology include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration through a software robot called “George,” which interacts with information technology systems and performs business processes, and West Monroe Partners, which uses a software robot “Rosie” to keep pace with the onboarding process for new employees.

UiPath also is building out a developer community, having already cultivated more than 120,000 RPA developers worldwide. It offers through online training and certification through the UiPath academy.

Artificial intelligence unsurprisingly plays a key element in the technology, with UiPath’s Intelligent Process Automation based on integration with cognitive services, such as those provided by IBM Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Google LLC “Instead of having a rule in the process that executes, you actually have the experience,” Patrick noted.

The new financing, which comes after a funding round of $30 million in April 2017, brings the total UiPath has raised to $183 million. The funding will be used to accelerate the company’s product roadmap, particularly innovations that integrate machine learning and AI algorithms within customers’ digital business operations.

(* Disclosure: UiPath Inc. sponsored Patrick’s segment of theCUBE. Neither UiPath nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE