Physical AI capital moves — 12–18 October 2026
Funding, acquisitions, strategic investments and public-market milestones across robotics, autonomous systems and the technologies that enable them.
Major funding rounds
ICON raised $200 million in a Series D co-led by Baillie Gifford and funds managed by BlackRock to manufacture and deploy Titan, its multi-storey robotic construction system. The platform combines robotic printing, building materials, software and design tools, with systems being manufactured at ICON’s Austin facility for use by external builders.
The capital also supports a large R&D facility in Austin, development of Titan and the Olympus construction programme, and expansion across Texas, Florida, Washington, D.C. and other U.S. markets. ICON reports completing more than 270 homes and other structures across five U.S. states and two countries. Participants include Capital Factory, CAZ Investments, Moderne Ventures, Moonshots Capital, Norwest, Overmatch, The Syndicate and Tiger Global.
Astribot completed approximately RMB1 billion in new financing at a reported RMB15 billion valuation. Toukong Donghai led the investment, with Hongtai Fund, a Guanghua Sunshine-managed fund, Shanheng Capital and existing investors participating. The capital will support AI-model development, recruitment, commercialisation and manufacturing capacity.
The Shenzhen company develops cable-driven manipulation robots and embodied AI. Its T1 wheeled humanoid extends the product range below the earlier S1 research and commercial platform, while Lumo-2 and robot-learning work support manipulation-policy development. This is a new financing, separate from the more than RMB1 billion across earlier B-series financings disclosed in June.
Velotric raised RMB200 million in Series C financing led by China Life Equity, with other investors and existing shareholders participating. The funding supports the wider consumer-mobility company, which is also developing an exoskeleton for outdoor walking and light hiking.
The wearable-robot programme draws on sensing, materials and drive technology alongside Velotric’s established electric-bicycle business. The exoskeleton remains in development; the company has not allocated the full financing to that programme or disclosed a separate exoskeleton investment budget.
Hurotics raised KRW25 billion in a Series A led by Atinum Investment, taking cumulative financing above KRW33.5 billion. Stonebridge Ventures, Doosan Investment, Aju IB Investment and Wonik Investment Partners participated in follow-on investment. Daewoong, Naver, Lotte and Industrial Bank of Korea joined as new investors.
The wearable-robot developer will use the capital for international expansion of H-Medi and development and production of H-Care. The systems target rehabilitation and assisted movement, placing the financing within wearable robotics rather than a general-purpose humanoid programme.
Ubitium raised $14 million in seed financing led by Ibex Investors, with OpenOcean, KBC Focus Fund, Runa Capital, Inflection and Quantum Systems co-founder Florian Seibel participating. The round brings total seed funding to $18 million and supports a processor architecture intended to combine sensing, AI inference and real-time machine control.
Its UB108 engineering silicon has demonstrated those workloads on one reconfigurable array. Ubitium plans to deliver evaluation units of its first commercial UB410 processor in 2027, initially targeting demanding radar and audio workloads before broader applications in robots, drones and other autonomous machines.
Additional funding rounds
Ola Dimensions completed an Angel+ round backed by Chengyuanxiang Fund, Xineng Capital, Xizhou International, Topband and Hony Capital. The company combines a wheeled dual-arm household robot with domestic-task data collection and world-action model development. The disclosure describes the latest financing as its fourth in six months.
Sankai completed a Series B co-led by the Industrial Machine Tool Industry Investment Fund and Wuchan Zhongda Investment, with Caitong Capital and Wenling Haihe Rongzhi participating. Proceeds support precision reducers, humanoid joint transmissions and production capacity. A planned second factory phase targets an additional one million reducers annually after construction and ramp-up.
Ruoyu Technology completed a Pre-A led by Sunway Communication, with Jinmu Capital, Qindao Capital, Huanghai Capital and Zhongchuang Capital participating. The funding supports its Jiutian embodied-intelligence robot brain and additional industrial applications. A fuel-station pilot in Foshan supplies operational data on force control and unusual conditions for further development.
DareRobot completed Pre-A+ financing involving Fosun RZ Capital, Qingshi Asset Management, Zhengxi Capital, Xi Gao Tou, Bozhon and Suzhou Innovation Investment. Its process robots target heavy-industry work such as grinding. Capital will support product iteration and market expansion, including DR_AI software intended to reuse perception, workpiece-data processing and trajectory planning across applications.
Sichuan EIR
Sichuan EIR completed a Pre-A backed by Chengdu Future Industry Angel Fund, Deyang Investment Holding Group, Kaizhou New City Industry Fund and Zhongjiang High-Tech Zone Industry Fund. Funds support Ai Qiu robot development, the Deyang production base and sales expansion. Its EIR Harness coordinates perception, memory, interaction, navigation and motion; a subsequent fundraising process is separate from this completed round.
Aibo Medical Robot completed A+ equity financing led by Puhe Capital, with strategic participation from Longgang Financial Holding. Proceeds support additional indications and commercialisation of its vascular-intervention robots, automated and remote-system development, registration and hiring. PANVIS STAR uses five instrument-drive channels to coordinate intervention tools.
NEXFORM raised seed financing from investors including Gobi Partners and Zhejiang University Youchuang. The company develops robot platforms and developer software for commercial task automation, with hotel and property applications among its target settings. Reported cooperation-agreement values are separate from the financing amount, recognised revenue and delivered robots.
TigerX
TigerX announced its first angel round, with Puhua Capital and Hengze Capital participating. The Hangzhou company develops multimodal world models and onboard intelligence for embodied robots. Funding supports TigerMind, edge deployment and industrial systems, with application validation spanning utilities, industrial infrastructure and home-care settings.
Monopulse raised more than €2 million in a Coinvest Capital-led round with LitBAN angels, Plug and Play Ventures, NGL Ventures and individual investors. Funds support drone production, R&D and expansion into NATO markets including Germany, France and the Netherlands. Its platforms include Falcon MK3S reconnaissance drones and HydroHex, which combines aerial and surface operation.
120ft Factory
Stockholm-based 120ft Factory emerged from stealth with angel financing from 22 investors, including Matthias Dantone, Sam Baker, Sophia Bendz and Ted Persson. It is developing shared robotic microfactories arranged across three 40-foot containers for preparation, assembly, inspection and packing. Customers retain their designs and suppliers while paying 120ft per finished unit.
Shuangpai Robotics closed a Series A+ led by Daosheng Capital, with Lingdong Ventures participating. Its assistive-mobility products include the W1 walking aid, P2 powered wheelchair and M2 folding scooter. Funding supports core components, motion-control production, assisted-driving and voice functions, overseas channels and manufacturing capacity.
Kongyu Technology completed Series B financing from Suzhou Mingzhi Intelligent Manufacturing Industry Investment Fund. The counter-drone company will invest in multimodal sensor fusion, distributed drone detection and defence, and digital airspace-management systems for public safety, defence, energy and transport applications.
Xspark AI completed an Angel+ round following its first angel financing in July. Capital supports tactile multimodal models, sensing hardware, industrial and commercial-service applications, and product delivery. Investors include Liedao Investment, HuaShan Capital, Yuanhang Capital, Pudong Venture Capital Group and others. The several-hundred-million-yuan figure in reporting is cumulative financing, not this round’s amount.
Zhuge Robotics completed pre-A financing to develop and expand assistive robotics and accessibility systems. Its AI LOOK guidance robots target visually impaired users, with applications in public-service, campus and accessibility settings. Investors include Shanghai Puchuang Miaopu AI Industry Venture Investment Partnership, Zhejiang Bawitong Spatial Intelligence Technology and Shijiazhuang Quchuang Technology.
Cumulative funding disclosures
FAIRINO disclosed nearly RMB1 billion across consecutive C+ and D rounds, led respectively by Meituan Longzhu and Meituan. Participants include Yongxin Capital, Shishan Phase II and Suzhou Venture Capital, alongside returning investors. Individual round amounts and exact closing dates were not disclosed.
The collaborative-robot maker will use the funding for core-component production capacity and industrial embodied-intelligence expansion. Named development areas include ART force-controlled arms and AIRLab tools. The combined disclosure is counted once here; it is not a single RMB1 billion D round.
CloudButterfly completed a B+ financing series backed by StellarS Capital, Asia Allied Infrastructure and Changzhe Investment. Its RoboForge software decomposes tasks, plans actions and handles exceptions while WING robots execute site work. Funds support embodied-intelligence development and a service model combining robots, deployment and maintenance. The amount covers the financing series.
Xianyin Future disclosed angel, pre-Series A and Series A financings closed between May and September. Alibaba and China Mobile Chain Fund led the Series A, following earlier backers. The company develops flexible cable-driven arms for orbital refuelling, inspection and deorbiting, with a rendezvous-and-docking demonstration planned for 2027. The October announcement consolidates earlier transactions.
Origin emerged from stealth with $20 million in total funding co-led by Accel and Zacua Ventures. Other investors include Unilazer Ventures, Schema Ventures, Z21, ISAI and Imad Ventures. The disclosure gives cumulative backing rather than isolating a newly closed $20 million round.
Its OG-1 robot applies compound, sands and primes interior walls using interchangeable tools and force control. Funding supports fleet buildout, customer pilots in the U.S. and Europe, and expansion into additional interior trades. Origin targets 150 deployed robots by the end of 2027; this is a future deployment goal.
Simate’s shareholder update identifies Xiaomi’s Hanxing Ventures and Baidu-linked Sanya Baichuan Zhixin among its investors, alongside Chentao Capital and other early backers. The Shanghai startup develops robot-learning models and simulation-to-robot infrastructure. Reporting describes cumulative early financing without resolving a single-round amount or establishing that all of the capital was newly raised this week.
Private funding disclosures
Stouching Robotics disclosed backing from Huawei Hubble, Shenzhen High-Tech Investment funds and Gaoxuan Investment for tactile sensing and robot manipulation. Its work spans sensors, data-acquisition equipment, tactile models and control. Reports use conflicting angel and pre-A labels and earlier shareholder reporting already identified Hubble; this entry records the disclosure without implying a second new Hubble round.
Yueqian Innovation’s October interview described completed angel backing from Future Capital, Nanshan Strategic Emerging Industries Investment and Chuxin Capital for camera robotics. The same investor group appeared in an earlier financing listing. This is an update on previously completed backing, not evidence of an additional October round.
Strategic investments
Shimizu completed an investment in Noble Machines and began joint development for physically demanding and hazardous construction work. Noble contributes MOBY-series humanoid hardware, controls and application software, while Shimizu supplies construction expertise. The partners plan to combine BIM/CIM-based simulation with testing on real building sites.
Intralox invested in CleanBotix to expand manufacturing and further develop Rosie, its food-plant sanitation robot. Rosie automates detergent and sanitiser application, rinsing and wand swapping during wet cleaning. Commercial Food Sanitation, an Intralox company, will contribute application expertise as the companies develop additional sanitation products.
XHEART
XHEART completed strategic financing backed by Renault Group, Chery and ChangXin Technology for its humanoid robotics programme. Renault invested for the first time while Chery increased its existing backing. The approximately RMB5 billion cumulative financing figure cited in reporting covers the company’s history and is not the size of this transaction.
Draganfly invested in Ukraine’s DoD Solution to advance AURA onboard autonomy and integrations across unmanned platforms. AURA combines onboard computing with navigation, perception, tracking and terminal-guidance software for degraded GPS or communications. Proceeds support AURA SBC production, AURA OS and platform integrations; Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell will join the board.
DeYi Medical received strategic financing from beauty and health-services group Kritina. The collaboration connects wellness robots with Kritina’s service network across health management, beauty care and home wellness. DeYi combines its Deep PT model with 3D vision, acupoint recognition and six-axis force control.
GMEX Robotics closed an initial 30% fully diluted equity investment in Alpha Meta AI, which operates MediaMeta.Ai. Consideration is 15% cash and 85% GMEX shares, with a 24-month share lockup. An option could lead to a controlling position later; this closing establishes a minority stake. Robotics social-intelligence applications remain under development.
Hyundai Motor and Kia invested in VAST Data after years of platform use by 42dot. VAST AI OS supports autonomous-driving and robotics development by sharing sensor, video, simulation and training data through a common infrastructure. The strategic investment deepens an existing production relationship; VAST’s earlier financing valuation is separate from this undisclosed transaction.
Acquisitions
Symbotic / cellumation
UndisclosedSymbotic acquired Bremen-based cellumation, adding its celluveyor omnidirectional sortation technology. Individually controlled conveyor cells route goods across a modular surface, giving automated logistics systems a configurable way to merge, separate and direct items.
Cellumation will retain its name, headquarters and leadership, continue serving existing customers and integrate its technology into Symbotic systems. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Capital Machine / KC Robotics
UndisclosedCapital Machine acquired KC Robotics, combining fabrication-equipment distribution and service with engineering of complete robotic systems. KC’s work includes welding, cutting, finishing, material handling, machine tending and vision-guided cells. It will retain its name and leadership while gaining access to Capital Machine’s field-service network across 22 U.S. states.
AIBotics / NovaCore assets
$225,000 initial stated valueAIBotics completed the purchase of specified NovaCore Labs operating assets from PlayJamaica, adding drone, mapping and automation capabilities in Jamaica. Initial consideration is preferred stock with a stated value of $225,000, plus an earn-out of up to $3 million in preferred stock over four years. A planned $1 million operating budget is separate from the purchase price.
Reported and pending acquisitions
OMRON / OnLogic
$675M enterprise valueOMRON agreed to acquire OnLogic parent Interlogic and its industrial-PC subsidiaries in a cash transaction valued at $675 million on an enterprise-value basis. The proposal would bring rugged industrial computing into OMRON’s control, sensing and robotics portfolio for physical-AI applications.
The agreement was signed on 10 October and announced during this reporting week. Closing is planned around January 2027, subject to approvals and other conditions. It is an acquisition agreement, not a completed purchase or a $675 million funding round.
Volatus Aerospace / AISPECO
$10.5M base + up to $2.5MVolatus Aerospace agreed to acquire AISPECO for $3 million in cash and $7.5 million in shares, plus up to $2.5 million tied to milestones. AISPECO adds airborne-sensor platforms, gimbal technology, electronics and ROBINCOP flight-management software. Closing remains subject to customary conditions and conditional Toronto Stock Exchange approval.
Unichem / Loomia
Up to $6.3MUnichem agreed to acquire Loomia, whose flexible pressure-sensing, heating and touch technology can be used in robot hands, grippers and automotive interiors. Closing is targeted for 4 January 2027, subject to conditions. Up to $1 million in additional performance-linked convertible bonds is tied to robot and automotive production-order targets through 2028.
Reported and pending financings
Stryker agreed an approximately $400 million preferred-equity investment in CMR Surgical and an exclusive U.S. sales alliance for the Versius surgical-robot portfolio. CMR will continue product development and commercialisation outside the United States, while Stryker contributes its U.S. sales reach.
The agreement also grants Stryker an exclusive option to acquire all CMR equity in the future. Regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions remain outstanding, so the investment is presented separately from completed funding rounds and from an acquisition of the company.
Li Auto’s Mahexin chip subsidiary signed a financing agreement comprising RMB625 million from external investors and RMB1 billion from a Li Auto subsidiary. The capital supports chip and domain-controller R&D and commercialisation, including non-automotive applications. Closing is conditional; an additional subscription option of up to RMB500 million is separate from the base transaction.
Jiangte Motor and affiliated investors agreed a proposed RMB300 million capital increase in Vita Dynamics, comprising RMB100 million from Jiangte and RMB200 million from affiliates. The proposed pre-money valuation is RMB3 billion. Vita develops Vbot quadrupeds and humanoid technology; completion had not been established by the announcement.
Whales AI
Whales AI and DCX signed an agreement for North American commercialisation of an AI-powered STEM robotics platform. An initial $4 million investment is subject to conditions, alongside localisation and AI-model work. A possible additional $16 million requires further agreement and is not a binding financing commitment.
Caijing reported that AgiBot was nearing a financing at an approximately RMB50 billion valuation. The company did not comment. The reported amount and valuation describe an uncompleted transaction, separate from earlier Hong Kong IPO valuation discussions; neither is treated as newly raised capital.
Winverse AI
Bloomberg reported that DeepSeek aimed to lead seed financing for Winverse AI, with commitments from investors including Long-Z Investments. Proposed terms implied an approximately $400 million post-investment valuation. The startup, founded by former Tencent scientist Han Hu, develops AI for robots; the transaction remained unclosed and its terms could change.
NVIDIA named Genesis AI among planned French startup investments. Genesis develops robotics foundation models alongside simulation, data collection and robot hardware. The amount, ownership percentage and completion date were not disclosed. NVIDIA’s wider European investment commitments are not an allocation to Genesis alone.
Public-market financings
TXR Robotics approved a convertible-bond issue, with subscription and payment scheduled for 20 October. KRW20 billion is designated for facilities and KRW10 billion for operations, including robot R&D and overseas expansion. Approval is a financing milestone, not confirmation that the company had received the proceeds during this week.
Listings and IPO filings
Agility Robotics and Churchill Capital XI’s merger registration statement became effective on 13 October, with a shareholder vote scheduled for 2 November. The proposed transaction would fund Digit deployment and production expansion and lead to Nasdaq trading under AGLT. Expected gross proceeds remain subject to redemptions, shareholder approval and other closing conditions.
PlusAI and Texas Ventures Acquisition III filed an S-4 for their proposed combination, which values PlusAI at approximately $800 million before new capital. The transaction includes more than $60 million of committed financing and roughly $236 million in SPAC trust funds, subject to conditions. SEC effectiveness and closing remain pending; PlusAI targets a 2027 SuperDrive truck launch.
Youibot received a China Securities Regulatory Commission filing milestone for its proposed Hong Kong Main Board listing under Chapter 18C. The company develops industrial logistics and inspection-maintenance robots for sectors including semiconductors and energy. Planned uses of proceeds include embodied-AI R&D, facilities and overseas expansion; filing approval does not establish a completed listing or capital raised.
Other capital moves
Bloomberg reported that Anduril opened an employee tender at $94.80 per share, implying an approximately $90 billion valuation. The offer is scheduled to close on 9 November and allows employees to sell existing shares. The cap is potential secondary transaction volume, not primary funding entering Anduril’s balance sheet.
Coverage & counting
Covers announcements, financing disclosures and material transaction milestones dated 12–18 October 2026, selected from Korthos capital-event records and checked against linked evidence. Scope includes robots, autonomous systems and their enabling hardware, software and manufacturing infrastructure. Commercial orders and ordinary product launches are excluded.
Completed private rounds, cumulative disclosures, strategic stakes, completed acquisitions, conditional transactions, public-market financing and listing processes are grouped separately. Earlier rounds disclosed this week are identified as such. No total combines these different capital categories.
Amounts retain original currencies, disclosed ranges and qualifiers; no independent foreign-exchange conversions are added. A transaction valuation, enterprise value, tender cap, financing option or cumulative total is not treated as current-round proceeds.
Each company block links one event-specific primary announcement, investor release, filing or original report. Ten companies appear on the cover across different transaction categories; the cover is not a funding ranking.