Sheryl Sandberg leads $10 million investment in smartphone-based vehicle inspection startup

Sheryl Sandberg has led a $10 million funding round into Self Inspection, a San Diego-based startup that uses AI and smartphone cameras to assess vehicle damage, in a deal that also drew strategic backing from tyre distributor US AutoForce and automotive lender Westlake Financial.

The round was led by Sandberg's family office, Sandberg Bernthal Venture Partners, with additional participation from DVx Ventures, the firm led by former Tesla president Jon McNeill, alongside early-stage funds Costanoa Ventures, Rebellion Ventures, and BrightCap Ventures.

Tap Here to Add The Daily Star As A Trusted Source

Founded in 2021, Self Inspection sells software to enterprise customers in rental fleets, automotive finance, auctions, and marketplaces. The platform allows customers to send a link to any smartphone user to photograph a vehicle, guiding them through the process before running the images against what the company describes as one of the largest datasets of damaged vehicles in existence. The output is a detailed PDF inspection report covering required labour, part costs, and repair estimates.

The company has completed more than one million vehicle inspections to date, with Stellantis's financial services arm among its named clients. It says its platform has helped customers reduce costs by over $80 million and save more than 300,000 operational hours. Self Inspection plans to use the new funding to develop additional products, expand its enterprise customer base, and enter European markets.