Robotics funding hit $2.26 billion in Q1 2025 alone.
Today's winners integrate AI, proprietary datasets, and RaaS business models. Manufacturing automation leads. Healthcare robotics follows. Warehouse solutions scale fastest.
Below: 25 investors actively funding robotics. Plus what actually gets funded in 2025.
The new robotics investment thesis
What's Getting Funded
Forget humanoids doing backflips. Real money flows to:
Vertical Solutions: One industry. One problem. Deep integration.
RaaS Models: Monthly recurring revenue beats hardware sales.
AI-Native Platforms: Computer vision plus robotics. Not bolted-on ML.
Proven ROI: 18-month payback or investors walk.
Why Now
Labor shortages accelerated adoption. AI made robots smarter. Component costs dropped 40%. Cloud robotics enabled remote deployment.
Result: robotics startups prove commercial viability faster than ever.
Fund your robotics startup
Building robots requires patient capital. Long development cycles scare traditional VCs.
Smart founders track investor engagement early. They know which partners understand hardware timelines. They identify strategic investors beyond pure financial VCs.
Ellty helps robotics startups understand investor behavior. See which technical diagrams get scrutinized. Know when manufacturing partners review your deck.
25 Robotics & automation investors
1. Intel Capital
$12.5B invested across 1,500+ companies globally.
Investment focus: Semiconductor-adjacent robotics, edge AI robots
Investment range: Series A+, $5M-$50M
Notable investments: Field AI, nEYE Systems, perception startups
Contact: intelcapital.com
2. Toyota AI Ventures
$200M fund from Toyota focused on mobility robotics.
Investment focus: Autonomous mobility, intelligent robotics, logistics
Investment range: Seed to Series B, $2M-$10M
Notable investments: Nauto, SLAMcore, mobility automation
Contact: toyota-ai.ventures
3. Cybernetix Ventures
$100M fund led by robotics industry veterans.
Investment focus: Manufacturing, logistics, construction, healthcare robots
Investment range: Pre-seed to Series A
Notable investments: Cambrian Robotics, Airworks
Contact: cybernetix.vc
4. Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund
$1B fund for logistics and supply chain automation.
Investment focus: Warehouse robotics, last-mile delivery, fulfillment tech
Investment range: Series A+, strategic investments
Notable investments: Agility Robotics, warehouse automation
Contact: Through portfolio company referrals
5. ABB Technology Ventures
Industrial automation giant's venture arm.
Investment focus: Industrial robots, collaborative robots, automation software
Investment range: Series A-C, $5M-$25M
Notable investments: Industrial automation startups
Contact: new.abb.com/atv
6. Lemnos VC
Hardware-focused early-stage fund.
Investment focus: Robotics hardware, manufacturing tech, industrial IoT
Investment range: Pre-seed to seed, $500K-$3M
Notable investments: Marble, Airware (exited), hardware startups
Contact: lemnos.vc
7. DCVC (Data Collective)
Deep tech investor with robotics expertise.
Investment focus: AI-powered robotics, autonomous systems
Investment range: Seed to Series B, $3M-$15M
Notable investments: Agility Robotics, perception companies
Contact: dcvc.com
8. Khosla Ventures
Major Silicon Valley VC betting on robotics.
Investment focus: Breakthrough robotics, autonomous systems
Investment range: Seed to growth
Notable investments: Field AI, robotics platforms
Contact: khoslaventures.com
9. Eclipse Ventures
Operations-focused VC for industrial transformation.
Investment focus: Industrial automation, supply chain robotics
Investment range: Series A-B, $10M-$30M
Notable investments: Bright Machines, industrial robots
Contact: eclipse.vc
10. Sequoia Capital
Tier-1 VC with growing robotics portfolio.
Investment focus: Platform robotics companies, AI-native robots
Investment range: Series A+, flexible sizing
Notable investments: Robotics unicorns globally
Contact: sequoiacap.com
11. OpenAI Startup Fund
AI-first fund backing robotics applications.
Investment focus: AI-powered robotics, advanced perception
Investment range: Series A, flexible check sizes
Notable investments: 1X Technologies, humanoid robots
Contact: openai.fund
12. SoftBank Vision Fund
Late-stage investor in robotics at scale.
Investment focus: Robotics platforms with global potential
Investment range: Series C+, $100M+
Notable investments: Major robotics exits
Contact: visionfund.com
13. Playground Global
Incubator and fund for deep tech hardware.
Investment focus: Robotics components, enabling technologies
Investment range: Seed to Series A, $1M-$10M
Notable investments: Hardware infrastructure companies
Contact: playground.global
14. Canaan Partners
Enterprise-focused VC with robotics practice.
Investment focus: B2B robotics, enterprise automation
Investment range: Series A-B, $5M-$25M
Notable investments: Field AI co-investor
Contact: canaan.com
15. GV (Google Ventures)
Alphabet's venture arm investing in robotics.
Investment focus: AI robotics, cloud-connected robots
Investment range: Seed to growth
Notable investments: Robotics software platforms
Contact: gv.com
16. Samsung Ventures
Strategic investor in robotics components.
Investment focus: Robotics hardware, sensors, perception
Investment range: Series A+, strategic sizing
Notable investments: Field AI, component companies
Contact: samsungventures.com
17. Nvidia NVentures
GPU giant's strategic robotics fund.
Investment focus: AI robotics, simulation, computer vision
Investment range: Strategic investments
Notable investments: Field AI, perception startups
Contact: nvidia.com/nventures
18. Bessemer Venture Partners
Cloud-first investor expanding to robotics.
Investment focus: Cloud robotics, RaaS platforms
Investment range: Series A to growth
Notable investments: Robotics SaaS companies
Contact: bvp.com
19. Tiger Global
Growth investor in proven robotics companies.
Investment focus: Scaled robotics businesses
Investment range: Series C+, $50M+
Notable investments: Late-stage robotics
Contact: tigerglobal.com
20. Alumni Ventures
Syndicate leader in robotics deals.
Investment focus: Follow-on robotics investments
Investment range: $200K-$2M per deal
Notable investments: AI & robotics fund active
Contact: av.vc
21. B Capital
Growth investor led by Facebook co-founder.
Investment focus: Robotics at inflection point
Investment range: Series B+, $20M+
Notable investments: Apptronik lead investor
Contact: bcapgroup.com
22. DFJ Growth
Draper network fund for robotics scale-ups.
Investment focus: Transformative robotics tech
Investment range: Growth equity
Notable investments: Rethink Robotics exit
Contact: dfj.com
23. Felicis Ventures
Multi-stage investor in frontier tech.
Investment focus: Robotics reimagining industries
Investment range: Seed to growth
Notable investments: Logistics robotics
Contact: felicis.com
24. Gates Frontier
Bill Gates' investment vehicle.
Investment focus: Robotics solving global challenges
Investment range: Strategic, patient capital
Notable investments: Field AI early backer
Contact: Through advisory network only
25. Bezos Expeditions
Jeff Bezos' personal investment fund.
Investment focus: Breakthrough robotics technologies
Investment range: Varies by opportunity
Notable investments: Field AI, space robotics
Contact: No direct contact, referral only
Robotics fundraising
The Hardware Valley of Death
Series A to B kills most robotics startups. Why? Manufacturing scales poorly. Customer pilots drag. Cash burns fast.
Survivors do three things:
- Raise 2x normal rounds
- Sign manufacturing partners pre-Series A
- Generate services revenue during pilots
Strategic vs. Financial Investors
Pure VCs want 10x returns. Strategic investors want technology access. Smart founders blend both.
Corporate VCs provide:
- Customer introductions
- Manufacturing expertise
- Distribution channels
- Patient capital
But they move slowly. Negotiate harder. Sometimes block exits to competitors.
Alternative funding paths
Traditional VC isn't the only option:
Reg A+ Crowdfunding: Up to $75M from public investors
SBIR/STTR Grants: Non-dilutive government funding
Customer Pre-Orders: Kickstarter for B2B
Revenue-Based Financing: For RaaS models with MRR
Track your robotics pitch with Ellty
Robotics investors scrutinize differently. Hardware slides get 3x more time. Manufacturing plans determine meetings. Safety certifications close deals.
Ellty shows exactly how robotics investors evaluate your pitch:
- Which CAD renderings catch attention
- When they forward to hardware partners
- How long they study unit economics
Robotics founders using trackable links report:
- Identifying hardware-savvy vs. software-only investors
- Knowing which partners have manufacturing experience
- Seeing when strategic investors share internally
The future of robotics investment
2025 marks the shift from demo to deployment. Pilot programs convert to purchase orders. Unit economics improve with scale. Strategic buyers acquire proven solutions.
Next wave focuses on:
- Collaborative robots working alongside humans
- Edge AI enabling offline operation
- Modular platforms adaptable across industries
- Software-defined robots updated remotely
Winners will combine proprietary data, vertical expertise, and patient capital.
