Browsing: Robotics

Bedrock Roboticshas raised $600 million in Series C financing as the construction industry explores how autonomous equipment can address labor shortages and improve productivity. The San Francisco-based company announced October 26 that the investment values it at $4.1 billion, bringing its total funding to nearly $1 billion.

Tesla has started production of its Optimus humanoid robot at its factory in Fremont, California, in a manufacturing space once dedicated to making electric vehicles, the company announced Wednesday.

MediaMeta advances AI-driven automation through U.S. client collaboration, following GMEX’s recent strategic investment

It’s the moment everyone is waiting for — the ChatGPT moment for robotics, Amulya Vishwanath explained to TechCrunch’s Equity. 

MARINETTE, Wis. — Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilders, announced plans to invest nearly $100 million in robotics, artificial intelligence and advanced automation at its shipyards around the world, including its three facilities in Wisconsin.

Amulya Vishwanath, who spent seven years leading product marketing for NVIDIA’s robotics platforms, says robotics is currently in its “Lego era,” with the basic building blocks like actuators, robotic hands, software, and safety standards still being rebuilt. 

Day 2 of TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is here at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Explore innovative startups and solution providers in the Expo Hall, discover emerging technologies through live startup pitches, and use AI-powered matchmaking to connect with a community of 10,000+ founders, investors, startup teams, and technology leaders.

Every day, recycling facilities process enormous quantities of plastic bottles, cardboard, aluminum cans, textiles and other discarded materials. Some have significant economic value, while others are contaminated, damaged or mixed with materials that make recovery difficult. Separating what can be reused from what cannot remains one of the most labor-intensive challenges in the waste industry.

In most factories, automation is fixed: robots and machines are programmed for one specific task and product. Changing a line means reprogramming and physical retooling, or swapping out equipment, which can take weeks or months. San Francisco-based Industrial Next says it’s changing that.

Doug Field has worked on EVs at Ford and Tesla, the not-so-secret car project at Apple, and was employee No. 1 at Segway. Now, the executive is turning his attention to Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe’s latest project: Mind Robotics.