AI robotics startup Skild AI raises $300 million to build a scalable AI foundation model for robotics

AI robotics startup Skild AI has raised $300 million in a Series A funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Coatue, SoftBank Group, and Jeff Bezos through Bezos Expeditions.

The round also saw participation from Felicis Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Menlo Ventures, General Catalyst, CRV, Amazon, SV Angel, and Carnegie Mellon University.

With this investment, Skild AI's valuation has reached $1.5 billion. 

Purpose of fundraising

The startup will use the raised capital to continue scaling the company’s model and training datasets for future commercial deployment of its technology, in addition to hiring for roles across AI, robotics, engineering, operations, and security.

“The large-scale model we are building demonstrates unparalleled generalization and emergent capabilities across robots and tasks, providing significant potential for automation within real-world environments,” said Deepak Pathak, CEO and Co-Founder of Skild AI.

“We believe Skild AI represents a step change in how robotics will be scaled and has the potential to change the entire physical economy," Pathak said.

Creating a scalable foundation model for robotics

Founded in 2023 by former Carnegie Mellon University professors Abhinav Gupta and Deepak Pathak, Skild AI aim to create a scalable foundation model for robotics, serving as a shared, general-purpose brain for various robot embodiments and real-world applications. 

The startup leverages a massive dataset, significantly larger than its competitors, to train its model. This model allows robots to perform a wide range of tasks, from manipulation to locomotion and navigation, across different industries.

Differentiating from existing robotics applications

Unlike robots designed for specific applications, Skild AI's model is a general-purpose AI that can be adapted to various robots and scenarios. The model trains on at least 1,000 times more data points than competing models, enabling low-cost robots to operate in diverse settings.

From resilient quadrupeds handling adverse conditions to vision-based humanoids performing complex tasks in homes and factories, the model demonstrates unparalleled generalization and emergent capabilities across different robots and tasks.

Addressing labour shortages

Skild AI's technology addresses significant labour shortages in industries like healthcare, construction, warehousing, and manufacturing.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports a labour shortage with over 1.7 million more jobs available than unemployed workers, and the National Association of Manufacturers projects 2.1 million unfulfilled manufacturing jobs by 2030.

By enabling robots to perform novel tasks alongside humans or in dangerous environments, Skild AI's model can help mitigate these shortages and democratize the cost of robots, making them more accessible across various sectors.

“With general purpose robots that can safely perform any automated task, in any environment, and with any type of embodiment, we can expand the capabilities of robots, democratize their cost, and support the severely understaffed labour market,” said Abhinav Gupta, President and Co-Founder of Skild AI.