Robotics startup RoboForce Inc. announced today that it has raised $52 million in new funding to accelerate its next-generation robot foundation model, scale up general-purpose physical artificial intelligence robots and drive manufacturing readiness for commercial deployment.

Founded in 2023, RoboForce is developing robotics systems that are designed to perform physically demanding and repetitive industrial work that typically relies on manual labor.

The company uses a “physical AI stack,” that combines robotic hardware, machine learning models and simulation environments to automate tasks in industrial settings. The aim is to allow robots to operate in environments where tasks are repetitive, safety-sensitive or difficult to staff with human workers.

RoboForce’s platform is built around a robot foundation model that is trained using both real-world operational data and simulation, with data collected from deployed robots combined with synthetic datasets generated in simulation environments to refine control policies and task behaviors.

The technology integrates computing and robotics development frameworks from Nvidia Corp. They include Jetson Thor edge processors for onboard inference and the Isaac simulation and robotics training environment for modeling and testing robotic actions before deployment in physical environments.

The company’s robotic units operate as connected systems that collect operational telemetry and task performance data while performing assigned workflows. The platform uses a data pipeline that feeds operational information from deployed robots back into training systems to improve motion control, object handling and task sequencing.

The robots are intended for industrial environments that involve repetitive physical tasks or hazardous conditions. Potential applications include work in utility-scale solar installations, data center infrastructure maintenance, mining operations, shipping yards, manufacturing facilities and warehouse logistics.

“Robo-Labor is essential for work that is dull, dirty and dangerous,” said founder and Chief Executive Leo Ma. “This problem centers on human workers’ availability, cost and safety and its impact spans across most critical industrial sectors. Our mission is to elevate humans into safer, higher-value roles while robots take on the most demanding industrial tasks.”

The new funding round was led by YZi Labs. Also participating were Jerry Yang (co-founder and former CEO of Yahoo! Inc.), Nobel Laureate economist Myron Scholes, Gary Rieschel (founding partner of Qiming Venture Partners) and Carnegie Mellon University.

The new funding takes the total raised by RoboForce to $67 million.

Image: RoboForce