A surge in artificial intelligence (AI) breakthroughs has reinvigorated investor excitement in robotics, driving significant venture capital (VC) into US robotics startups. The convergence of AI and advanced robotics is creating new opportunities and attracting significant funding.
The past two years have witnessed a remarkable upswing in venture funding for US-based robotics startups, largely driven by the boom in AI. VC is flowing into robotics at levels approaching the record highs of the 2021 peak. According to Pitchbook, in 2024, robotics startups globally raised over $6.1 billion in VC funding—a 19% jump from the prior year.
Figure 1: Global Trends in Intelligent Robotics VC Deals
Source: PitchBook
The AI Boom Reignites Robotics Investment
The rapid progress in AI, especially in machine learning (ML), computer vision, and natural language processing, is making robots smarter and more versatile. Complex tasks that once stymied automation are now feasible because of AI algorithms. For example, the advent of large language models (LLMs) has significantly boosted interest in robotics by enabling robots to understand natural language commands and perform more adaptive, complex behaviors. Better AI is expanding what robots can do, from autonomous navigation to real-time decision-making.
Macroeconomic trends are also at play. Slower population growth and aging workforces in developed economies are creating labor gaps in industries like manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare. Companies are eager for automated solutions to fill jobs that are repetitive, physically demanding, or pose safety risks to human workers. The pandemic-era supply chain strains further highlighted the need for resilient automation. All this boosts the demand side for robotics, which in turn attracts investors who foresee large addressable markets.
Record Funding Rounds and Active Investors
Over the past 18 months, a series of high-profile funding rounds has highlighted the strong optimism among venture capitalists. Numerous US robotics companies have secured substantial investments at striking valuations, signaling growing confidence in the sector. A series of large-scale deals underscore this emerging trend.
Figure, a Sunnyvale-based startup founded in 2022, made headlines by raising a $675 million Series B in early 2024 at a $2.6 billion valuation. Backed by heavyweights like Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Jeff Bezos, and the OpenAI Startup Fund, Figure is developing AI-powered humanoid robots that can walk, see, speak, and perform human tasks—with OpenAI's support. A recent partnership with BMW to trial these robots in automotive manufacturing further signals rising enterprise demand.
Building on this momentum, Apptronik raised $350 million in a Series A round in February 2025 to scale its Apollo humanoid robots for industrial work. The round, co-led by B Capital and Capital Factory, with participation from Alphabet’s Google, followed shortly after the company had raised only $28 million in prior funding. The sheer size of this early-stage round reflects enormous investor confidence in the humanoid robotics space.
Even stealth-mode startups are attracting bold bets. The Bot Company raised $150 million in March 2025, achieving a $2 billion valuation without a product or revenue. Backed by Greenoaks Capital and Spark Capital, the company is reportedly developing AI-powered assistant robots for the home, driven by large language models. Its vision of continually learning robots has captivated Silicon Valley, showing how AI’s promise is fueling a new generation of robotics investment.
Investor Optimism Grows as Robotics Moves Beyond Hardware
Srini Ananth, managing director at Intel Capital, notes a clear shift in investor focus: “There’s a whole ecosystem that’s been kickstarted in the last three years,” referring to startups building AI models, data systems, and fleet management tools tailored for robots. He emphasizes that the commercial ROI is already tangible in sectors like construction, where robots quickly contribute to tasks like inspection and surveillance. Meanwhile, Howard Morgan, chair at B Capital, underscores that the opportunity is no longer limited to hardware. “There’s no question, we’re not tied to a single piece of hardware,” he explains, adding that the sector is emerging from its early phase and is poised to generate the next trillion-dollar companies.
The surge of investment suggests that many view robotics in 2025 as much like the internet or mobile in prior eras, a domain about to be transformed by a recent technological breakthrough. Generative AI and advanced ML have effectively unlocked robotics in ways that were not possible before. Investors who have profited from AI software are now looking at physical automation as the logical next step. There is a strategic push to get in early on companies that will likely become the platforms of the robotic age. Missing out on the robotics wave would mean missing out on the next decade’s Google or Amazon.
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