Sheryl Sandberg backs Self Inspection with $10M for AI vehicle inspection

Sheryl Sandberg has led a $10 million investment in Self Inspection, a San Diego-based startup that lets enterprise customers use a smartphone camera and AI to scan vehicles and assess body damage. The round was led by Sandberg's family office, Sandberg Bernthal Venture Partners, with strategic investment from tire distributor U.S. AutoForce and automotive lender Westlake Financial Services. Early-stage funds Costanoa Ventures, Rebellion Ventures and BrightCap Ventures also joined.

Founded in 2021, Self Inspection replaces manual inspection with a smartphone camera and AI analysis. The software lets a customer send a link to anyone with a phone, who uploads photos of a car; the platform returns a detailed report covering the labour needed, repair cost and parts required. It sells to enterprise clients including Stellantis, and is also backed by former Tesla president Jon McNeill's DVx Ventures.

Self Inspection says its platform has helped customers cut costs by over $80 million and save more than 300,000 operational hours. It plans to use the new funding to build more products, reach more enterprise customers and expand into Europe. Sandberg's involvement puts a high-profile name behind applied AI in a workaday sector.