What are the latest funding news in the Physical AI Market? (October 2026)
Whether you're building or investing in the physical AI market, our report covers everything you need to know: the players, the money, and what's coming next.
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Physical AI funding in late September and early October 2026 shows investors backing the full stack required to make intelligent machines perceive, decide and act in real environments.
The latest deals span humanoid robots, industrial robotics, autonomous vehicles, robot foundation models, dexterous manipulation and specialized edge AI infrastructure.
Funding is also moving toward focused commercial applications, with biomanufacturing, hazardous work, factories, mining, logistics and last-mile delivery providing clear entry points for Physical AI companies.
And if you want to better understand this new industry, you can download our pitch covering the Physical AI Market.
Insights
- The 12 latest Physical AI deals disclosed or clearly implied more than $440 million of funding, with SiMa.ai and Sudo AI alone representing well over half of the capital identified.
- Humanoid and humanoid-platform companies account for four of the 12 deals, but their disclosed rounds remain much smaller than the largest infrastructure, foundation-model and specialized industrial robotics financings.
- Physical AI funding is spreading across the perception-to-action stack, from SiMa.ai's embedded compute and Sudo AI's robot foundation models to Inbolt's vision guidance and Tangent's dexterous motor control.
- Commercially focused Physical AI companies are narrowing their first use cases: Multiply Labs targets biopharma production, Maxsense targets industrial vehicles, and LOMBY targets last-mile delivery rather than general-purpose robotics.
- Five companies in this group were already at early commercial or growth stage, showing that recent Physical AI funding is not limited to research projects and pre-product humanoid startups.
- Industrial environments remain the strongest common customer theme, appearing across drug manufacturing, general manufacturing, mining, ports, logistics, electronics, data centers and hazardous infrastructure operations.
- Three deals announced on September 28 covered very different layers of the Physical AI Market: embedded AI compute, AI-assisted teleoperation and autonomous delivery robots.
- The market is geographically broad, with funded companies headquartered across the United States, China, France, the United Kingdom and Japan, while several are already targeting international deployments.
- Specialized intelligence layers can attract meaningful capital without building a complete robot, as shown by Sudo AI, Inbolt, Tangent Robotics and SiMa.ai.
In many markets, a handful of startups take most of the money. Our physical AI market report shows who's getting the biggest slice.
Summary table of the latest funding deals in the Physical AI Market as of October 2026
We define the physical AI market as AI systems that perceive, reason about and act in the physical world.
We include intelligent robots, autonomous vehicles and specialized models, simulation and control software enabling physical action.
We exclude software-only agents, passive analytics and conventional automation without meaningful AI-based perception or decision-making.
| Name | When | Amount in $ | Round Type | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feather Robotics | September 24, 2026 | $7.6M | Pre-seed SAFE | Humanoid developer platform |
| O-ID | September 24, 2026 | $1.2M | Pre-seed | Industrial humanoid robots |
| Extend Robotics | September 28, 2026 | ~$3.45M | Pre-A | AI-assisted robotic teleoperation |
| SiMa.ai | September 28, 2026 | $150M | Series C | Physical AI edge compute |
| LOMBY | September 28, 2026 | ~$2.6M | Series A | Autonomous delivery robots |
| BlueBug Embodied Intelligence | September 29, 2026 | ~$1.5M to $15M implied | Angel | Wheeled humanoids & mobile manipulation |
| Tangent Robotics | September 30, 2026 | $4.5M | Pre-seed | Dexterous manipulation & motor AI |
| Inbolt | September 30, 2026 | ~$12.4M | Funding round | Robot perception & adaptive control |
| Maxsense | September 30, 2026 | ~$14.9M | Series A | L4 industrial autonomous vehicles |
| Sudo AI | October 2, 2026 | >$149M | Financing | Robot foundation models & manipulation AI |
| Multiply Labs | October 6, 2026 | $75M | Series B | Pharmaceutical manufacturing robotics |
| Minerva Humanoids | October 6, 2026 | ~$10M | Pre-seed | Hazardous-work humanoid robots |
All the latest funding deals during in the Physical AI Market as of October 2026
Multiply Labs raised $75 million in a Series B round in October 2026
When was it?
Multiply Labs announced the financing on October 6, 2026.
Who are they?
Multiply Labs builds robotic manufacturing clusters that move materials between biopharma instruments and automate complex drug-production workflows.
Geographical focus?
Multiply Labs is based in San Francisco and initially serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers in the United States and other major biopharma markets.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
Multiply Labs combines robotics, machine perception and intelligent control to manipulate physical materials, placing the company in pharmaceutical manufacturing robotics.
What is the company stage?
Multiply Labs is at the growth and early commercial scaling stage, with robotic systems already deployed with pharmaceutical customers.
How much did they raise?
Multiply Labs raised $75 million in this financing.
What round is it?
Multiply Labs raised a Series B round.
Why did they raise?
Multiply Labs raised the capital to manufacture and deploy more robotic systems and automate a larger share of advanced drug production.
Sometimes the money comes before the interest, sometimes after. We compare both in our physical AI market report.
Minerva Humanoids raised about $10 million in a pre-seed round in October 2026
When was it?
Minerva Humanoids announced the round on October 6, 2026.
Who are they?
Minerva Humanoids develops Roger, a semi-autonomous humanoid that lets people remotely perform dangerous inspection and intervention tasks with AI assistance.
Geographical focus?
Minerva Humanoids is based in the United States and initially targets oil and gas operations and public-safety applications.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
Minerva Humanoids builds robots that perceive real environments and execute physical work, placing the company in hazardous-work humanoid robotics.
What is the company stage?
Minerva Humanoids is at the pilot and pre-PMF stage and began launching its first paid pilots in 2026.
How much did they raise?
Minerva Humanoids raised approximately $10 million.
What round is it?
Minerva Humanoids raised a pre-seed round.
Why did they raise?
Minerva Humanoids raised the funding to launch paid field pilots and develop Roger into a production-ready robot for hazardous jobs.
Sudo AI raised more than $149 million equivalent in a financing round in October 2026
When was it?
Sudo AI's latest financing was reported on October 2, 2026.
Who are they?
Sudo AI develops robot foundation models and manipulation systems that use perception and closed-loop control to interact with unfamiliar physical objects.
Geographical focus?
Sudo AI is based in Shanghai and initially targets Chinese manufacturing and logistics environments.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
Sudo AI develops models that continuously turn physical observations into robot actions, placing the company in robot foundation models and manipulation AI.
What is the company stage?
Sudo AI is at the advanced R&D and early deployment stage, with working integrated robots and real-world manipulation demonstrations.
How much did they raise?
Sudo AI raised more than RMB1 billion, equivalent to more than approximately $149 million.
What round is it?
Sudo AI disclosed the transaction as a financing round without a consistently reported Series label.
Why did they raise?
Sudo AI raised the capital to make simulation-trained manipulation capabilities reusable across more production lines, workstations and industries.
Tangent Robotics raised $4.5 million in a pre-seed round in September 2026
When was it?
Tangent Robotics announced the round on September 30, 2026.
Who are they?
Tangent Robotics combines tactile sensing, robotic hands and learned motor policies so robots can perform precise assembly and manipulation tasks.
Geographical focus?
Tangent Robotics is based in New York and initially focuses on demanding industrial manufacturing applications.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
Tangent Robotics connects tactile and visual perception directly to learned physical movements, placing the company in dexterous manipulation and robotic motor-control AI.
What is the company stage?
Tangent Robotics is at the prototype and pre-PMF stage as the young Columbia University spinout develops and tests its first systems.
How much did they raise?
Tangent Robotics raised $4.5 million.
What round is it?
Tangent Robotics raised a pre-seed round.
Why did they raise?
Tangent Robotics raised the capital to develop its hand hardware, tactile sensing and autonomous manipulation policies for industrial deployments.
Is the market overpaying? Our physical AI market report compares valuations across the players that matter.
Inbolt raised about $12.4 million equivalent in September 2026
When was it?
Inbolt announced the funding on September 30, 2026.
Who are they?
Inbolt gives industrial robots real-time 3D vision and AI so they can locate parts and adapt their movements as factory conditions change.
Geographical focus?
Inbolt is based in Paris, operates across Europe and North America, and plans further expansion into the United States and APAC.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
Inbolt uses AI perception to change robot trajectories in real time, placing the company in industrial robot perception and adaptive control.
What is the company stage?
Inbolt is at the growth and PMF stage, with its technology deployed across more than 100 factories.
How much did they raise?
Inbolt raised €11 million, equivalent to approximately $12.4 million.
What round is it?
Inbolt announced the transaction as an €11 million funding round without forcing a formal Series label.
Why did they raise?
Inbolt raised the funding to expand in the United States and APAC and enter additional industrial markets such as electronics and data centers.
Maxsense raised about $14.9 million equivalent in a Series A round in September 2026
When was it?
Maxsense's Series A financing was reported on September 30, 2026.
Who are they?
Maxsense develops Level 4 autonomous-driving systems for commercial vehicles working in mines, ports and other industrial sites.
Geographical focus?
Maxsense primarily serves China and is increasingly targeting overseas mining and industrial logistics markets.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
Maxsense vehicles perceive their surroundings, make autonomous navigation decisions and control heavy vehicles, placing the company in industrial autonomous driving.
What is the company stage?
Maxsense is at the commercial growth stage and already operates driverless fleets under transport-capacity contracts.
How much did they raise?
Maxsense raised RMB100 million, equivalent to approximately $14.9 million.
What round is it?
Maxsense raised a Series A round.
Why did they raise?
Maxsense raised the funding to scale autonomous commercial-vehicle deployments and expand its industrial logistics operations.
BlueBug Embodied Intelligence raised tens of millions of RMB in September 2026
When was it?
BlueBug Embodied Intelligence disclosed the angel financing on September 29, 2026.
Who are they?
BlueBug Embodied Intelligence builds full-stack embodied robots, including the Mantis Standard wheeled humanoid platform, together with control and teleoperation software.
Geographical focus?
BlueBug Embodied Intelligence initially focuses on Chinese robotics developers, researchers and industrial customers.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
BlueBug develops complete robots and control systems that allow machines to interact physically with their environments, placing it in wheeled humanoids and mobile manipulation.
What is the company stage?
BlueBug Embodied Intelligence is at the early commercial and product-launch stage, with its Mantis Standard platform already introduced.
How much did they raise?
BlueBug Embodied Intelligence disclosed tens of millions of RMB, implying roughly $1.5 million to $15 million without an exact public figure.
What round is it?
BlueBug Embodied Intelligence raised an angel round.
Why did they raise?
BlueBug Embodied Intelligence raised the funding to build production capacity, continue product development, expand use cases and grow its team.
Some startups are growing their valuation much faster than others. Our physical AI market report shows who's pulling ahead.
Extend Robotics raised about $3.45 million equivalent in a Pre-A round in September 2026
When was it?
Extend Robotics announced the round on September 28, 2026.
Who are they?
Extend Robotics combines immersive teleoperation and AI assistance so people can remotely control industrial robots while software automates repeatable actions.
Geographical focus?
Extend Robotics focuses mainly on UK and European manufacturing, aerospace, nuclear, automotive and other difficult industrial jobs.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
Extend Robotics uses AI to assist the physical execution of robot tasks under human supervision, placing the company in AI-assisted industrial teleoperation.
What is the company stage?
Extend Robotics is at the early growth and PMF stage, with its service already operating on production lines and serving paying customers.
How much did they raise?
Extend Robotics raised £2.6 million, equivalent to approximately $3.45 million.
What round is it?
Extend Robotics described the financing as a Pre-A round.
Why did they raise?
Extend Robotics raised the capital to scale its Result-as-a-Service model and expand its network of remote robot operators across European industry.
SiMa.ai raised $150 million in a Series C round in September 2026
When was it?
SiMa.ai announced the financing on September 28, 2026.
Who are they?
SiMa.ai builds specialized edge AI chips and software that let robots, autonomous vehicles and drones run perception and decision models locally.
Geographical focus?
SiMa.ai is based in the United States and serves a global customer base across robotics, automotive, drones and other edge Physical AI applications.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
SiMa.ai is purpose-built for running AI inside physical machines, placing the company in embedded Physical AI compute and on-device intelligence infrastructure.
What is the company stage?
SiMa.ai is at the growth stage with commercial technology already in the market and a new generation of its platform being scaled.
How much did they raise?
SiMa.ai raised $150 million.
What round is it?
SiMa.ai raised a Series C round at a reported $1.45 billion valuation.
Why did they raise?
SiMa.ai raised the funding to scale its development platform and fund the next generation of embedded AI compute for robots, vehicles and drones.
LOMBY raised about $2.6 million equivalent in a Series A round in September 2026
When was it?
LOMBY announced the round on September 28, 2026.
Who are they?
LOMBY develops autonomous sidewalk delivery robots using cameras, LiDAR, AI navigation and remote monitoring to transport goods to customers.
Geographical focus?
LOMBY focuses on Japan, with deployments centered on urban last-mile delivery and convenience-store logistics.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
LOMBY robots perceive outdoor environments, plan routes and move autonomously through the physical world, placing the company in autonomous delivery robotics.
What is the company stage?
LOMBY is at the early commercial and scale-up stage, moving from pilots toward commercial operations and higher-volume production.
How much did they raise?
LOMBY raised ¥387 million, equivalent to approximately $2.6 million.
What round is it?
LOMBY raised a Series A round.
Why did they raise?
LOMBY raised the funding to mass-produce its LM-A robot, expand fleets, improve autonomy and remote monitoring, and strengthen the team.
How much do startups really raise here? Our physical AI market report has the numbers, round by round.
Feather Robotics raised $7.6 million in a pre-seed round in September 2026
When was it?
Feather Robotics announced the financing on September 24, 2026.
Who are they?
Feather Robotics builds an open wheeled humanoid platform that lets third-party developers deploy their own Physical AI models on production-ready robot hardware.
Geographical focus?
Feather Robotics is based in the United States and initially targets developers and commercial operators deploying humanoids in areas such as manufacturing and food service.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
Feather Robotics provides the sensors, actuation, compute and software interfaces needed for Physical AI models to perform real-world tasks, placing it in humanoid robot platforms.
What is the company stage?
Feather Robotics is at the early commercial stage, with working systems, an initial fulfilled order and more than $1 million in reported revenue.
How much did they raise?
Feather Robotics raised $7.6 million.
What round is it?
Feather Robotics raised a pre-seed round structured through SAFEs.
Why did they raise?
Feather Robotics raised the funding to expand engineering, improve its actuation platform and increase production for third-party robotics developers.
O-ID raised $1.2 million in a pre-seed round in September 2026
When was it?
O-ID announced the financing on September 24, 2026.
Who are they?
O-ID develops modular humanoid robots whose joints, arms and compute components can be replaced directly on factory floors.
Geographical focus?
O-ID is based in Tokyo and initially focuses on Japanese manufacturing and logistics operations facing labor shortages.
Why do we include them in the Physical AI Market?
O-ID is developing AI-equipped humanoids designed to perceive and execute industrial work, placing the company in industrial humanoid robotics.
What is the company stage?
O-ID is at the prototype and pre-production stage and is preparing to move its first robot into production.
How much did they raise?
O-ID raised $1.2 million.
What round is it?
O-ID raised a pre-seed round.
Why did they raise?
O-ID raised the funding to industrialize its first humanoid, move beyond engineering prototypes and prepare deployments with Japanese manufacturers.
Building in this space? See which segments investors favor in our physical AI market report.
