Co-founders Leo Ma and Calvin Zhou, both Carnegie Mellon alumni, bring extensive experience in AI and robotics. Ma, who previously co-founded Cyngn, has a long-standing interest in automating production, driven by his background in manufacturing. Zhou has experience from working at Cruise, a self-driving robotaxi subsidiary of General Motors. Roboforce's robots are controlled by an in-house developed AI model, with plans for full autonomy. The company joins a competitive field with other startups like Figure and Sanctuary AI, which are also developing robots with human-like capabilities.
Key takeaways:
- Roboforce raised $10 million in funding to develop AI-powered robots for manufacturing and outdoor tasks.
- The funding round was led by Nobel laureate economist Myron Scholes, with participation from Gary Rieschel and Carnegie Mellon University.
- The company plans to use the funding to expand its team, scale robot development, and launch pilot projects.
- Roboforce's robots are designed to perform tasks with fine motor skills and operate in tough outdoor conditions, aiming for full autonomy.