Top 15 Venture Capital Firms Investing in Robotics

If you’re building a company in robotics or industrial automation, finding the right investors is a critical step. You need partners who understand the specific challenges of deep tech, from long development cycles to capital-intensive hardware. Knowing which venture capital firms to approach can make all the difference.

To help you prepare for your fundraise, our team at Rho has put together this overview of the top VC firms in the robotics sector. Use this guide to quickly get familiar with the key investors in your field.

Just raised, or about to? Set up your financial stack with Rho in minutes. Rho provides business banking, corporate cards, and bill pay — built for startup teams moving fast.

Which VC Firms in Robotics Are Right for Your Stage?

Knowing which investors to approach is important at every point in your company’s journey, from the earliest stages to a potential exit. We’ve put together a quick overview of robotics VC firms and the stages at which they typically invest.

Pre-seed and Seed VC Firms in Robotics

Pre-seed and seed funding is for getting your initial idea off the ground, often before you have significant revenue. For founders at this stage, deep tech venture capital firms like Bee Partners and boldstart ventures specialize in writing the first checks for promising robotics and automation startups.

Early Stage VC Firms in Robotics

Early-stage funding, which typically includes Series A and B rounds, is designed to help you scale your operations and achieve product-market fit. Some technology-focused venture capital firms that invest at this stage include Playground Global, Creative Ventures, and R7 Partners.

Late Stage VC Firms in Robotics

Late-stage rounds provide growth capital for established companies to expand into new markets or prepare for an exit. If your company has reached this point, you might approach investors like Scout Ventures or Cleveland Avenue, which participate in later funding rounds.

It's also worth noting that some VC firms invest across all startup funding stages.

Below is a more detailed look at the top VC firms in the robotics sector. We've outlined their investment stages, geographic focus, and what makes each firm distinct for founders.

1. Scout Ventures

Scout Ventures is a venture capital firm that backs companies developing frontier and dual-use technologies. Their mission is to support businesses that are working to make the world a better and safer place.

While they participate in later rounds, Scout Ventures invests across the full spectrum of a startup's life, from seed to late-stage. Their portfolio highlights a focus on deep tech, with notable investments in unicorns like digital identity network ID.me and health-tech platform Unite Us.

This firm is a strong potential partner if you are a founder whose technology has both commercial and government applications. For robotics startups with dual-use potential, Scout Ventures’ experience could be a significant asset.

• Investment stages: Seed, early, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Frontier and dual-use technologies, including robotics, autonomous vehicles, and cybersecurity
• Geographical presence: Based in Austin, Texas
• Founded: 2010
• Notable investments: ID.me, Unite Us, Virtuix
• Track record: The firm has made over 125 investments and has 28 exits.

You can refer to their website here.

2. Playground Global

Playground Global is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Palo Alto that invests in deep tech. They focus on supporting founders with strong technical and scientific backgrounds.

The firm backs companies building foundational technologies, from AI and robotics to next-generation computing hardware. Their portfolio includes companies like Agility Robotics, developer of the Digit humanoid robot, and MosaicML, which was acquired by Databricks.

Playground Global is a good fit if you are a technical founder building a company with a significant engineering or scientific component. They have a history of backing businesses that require deep domain expertise to succeed.

• Investment stages: Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Deep tech, including AI, robotics, and software
• Geographical presence: Based in Palo Alto, California
• Founded: 2015
• Notable investments: Agility Robotics, MosaicML, Nervana, Ayar Labs
• Track record: Over 120 investments and 17 exits

You can refer to their website here.

3. Bee Partners

Bee Partners is a venture capital firm that leads pre-seed investments in deep tech. They specialize in writing the first checks for founders building companies in AI, robotics, and industrial automation.

The firm’s focus is on being the first institutional capital for founders, a strategy proven by their support for companies like Rapid Robotics. Their track record includes major exits, such as BuildingConnected's acquisition by Autodesk and TubeMogul's sale to Adobe.

This firm is a strong fit if you are a founder at the earliest stages of building a deep tech company. Their model is designed to support founders who need a lead investor to get their initial idea off the ground.

• Investment stages: Seed, early, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: AI, robotics, industrial automation, and manufacturing
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2009
• Notable investments: BuildingConnected, TubeMogul, Rapid Robotics, Indiegogo
• Track record: 127 investments and 17 exits

You can refer to their website here.

4. Creative Ventures

Creative Ventures is a deep tech venture firm that invests in early-stage companies. Their focus is on businesses working to solve major global challenges.

The firm invests across a wide range of deep tech sectors, from robotics and construction to health care and clean energy. Their portfolio includes notable exits, such as Caper's acquisition by Instacart, showing a history of backing companies with strong market appeal.

This firm is a good match if you are a founder building a deep tech company with a mission to address a significant societal need. Their experience is particularly relevant for those in the early stages of development.

• Investment stages: Early Stage Venture, Seed
• Industries of focus: Deep tech, including robotics, health care, and clean energy
• Geographical presence: Based in Oakland, California
• Founded: 2016
• Notable investments: Caper (acquired by Instacart), Sense Photonics (acquired by Ouster), ALICE
• Track record: 60 investments and 4 exits

You can refer to their website here.

5. XRC Ventures

XRC Ventures is a venture firm and startup accelerator that invests in the retail tech, consumer goods, and consumer healthtech sectors. Based in New York, they support early-stage companies that are shaping the future of how people shop and live.

A key aspect of XRC is its dual model, which combines venture funding with the hands-on support of an accelerator. Their portfolio shows a clear focus on consumer-facing brands, with notable investments like the direct-to-consumer company Billie and the corporate gifting platform Snappy.

This firm is a strong match if you are a founder in the retail or consumer goods space, including robotics startups with applications in supply chain or direct-to-consumer models. The accelerator program is especially valuable for founders seeking structured guidance alongside capital.

• Investment stages: Seed and early-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Retail tech, consumer goods, consumer healthtech, robotics, and supply chain management
• Geographical presence: Based in New York, NY
• Founded: 2015
• Notable investments: Billie, Snappy, MeliBio
• Track record: Over 160 investments and 11 exits

You can refer to their website here.

6. 2048 Ventures

2048 Ventures is a thesis-driven venture capital firm based in New York that backs early-stage founders. They focus on writing pre-seed and seed checks for companies building in technical fields like AI, robotics, and B2B software.

The firm’s thesis-led approach means they develop strong points of view on specific markets before investing. Their portfolio includes a major exit with Aerodome, a drone startup acquired by Flock Safety for over $300 million, showcasing their ability to back companies to significant outcomes.

2048 Ventures is a great fit if you are a founder at the earliest stages with a strong technical or scientific insight. Their focused strategy is well-suited for teams that align with the firm's specific areas of conviction.

• Investment stages: Seed and early-stage venture
• Industries of focus: AI, B2B, robotics, health care, and SaaS
• Geographical presence: Based in New York, NY
• Founded: 2019
• Notable investments: Aerodome (acquired by Flock Safety), GlossGenius, Soona
• Track record: The firm has made 136 investments and has 2 exits.

You can refer to their website here.

7. Cleveland Avenue

Cleveland Avenue is a venture capital firm that invests across a company's entire lifecycle, from seed rounds to later-stage growth equity. While they have a strong focus on the food and beverage sector, their portfolio also includes companies in robotics, AI, and supply chain management.

A key characteristic of the firm is its portfolio of high-profile consumer brands and technology companies, including Beyond Meat and the AI-driven food-tech company NotCo. They also back robotics companies with clear, practical applications, such as Bear Robotics, whose autonomous "Servi" robots are used in restaurant chains.

Cleveland Avenue is a good match if you are a founder in the food tech, consumer, or lifestyle industries, particularly if your business has a technology component. Their interest in companies like Bear Robotics also makes them a relevant investor for robotics startups targeting the service and hospitality sectors.

• Investment stages: Seed, early-stage, late-stage, and private equity
• Industries of focus: Food and beverage, lifestyle, robotics, supply chain management, and AI
• Geographical presence: Based in Chicago, Illinois
• Founded: 2015
• Notable investments: Beyond Meat, NotCo, Bear Robotics, Soul Machines
• Track record: 136 investments and 12 exits

You can refer to their website here.

8. R7 Partners

R7 Partners is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies building foundational technologies. Based in Chicago, they support businesses in sectors like robotics, transportation, and FinTech.

The firm has a history of backing companies with tangible hardware and software, guiding them to significant exits. Notable portfolio companies include Bloom Energy and AEye, both of which went public, and the autonomous flight company Xwing.

This firm is a strong potential partner if you are an early-stage founder working on complex technology with clear commercial applications. Their track record suggests a focus on helping deep tech companies achieve major milestones like an IPO or acquisition.

• Investment stages: Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Robotics, AgTech, FinTech, Transportation, Enterprise Software
• Geographical presence: Based in Chicago, Illinois
• Founded: 2014
• Notable investments: Bloom Energy, AEye, Oculii, Xwing
• Portfolio size: 30 investments

You can refer to their website here.

9. boldstart ventures

boldstart ventures is a seed-stage firm that acts as a "first check" investor for technical founders. They specialize in backing companies in developer tools, enterprise software, and SaaS.

The firm’s "developer first" philosophy is a key part of their identity, showing a clear focus on founders building technical products. Their portfolio includes notable companies like the data security platform BigID and blockchain infrastructure provider Blockdaemon.

boldstart ventures is a good fit if you are a technical founder building an enterprise or developer-focused company. Their model is designed to support founders from the earliest point, often before a product is fully built.

• Investment stages: Seed
• Industries of focus: Developer tools, SaaS, AI, robotics, and cloud infrastructure
• Geographical presence: Based in Miami, Florida
• Founded: 2010
• Notable investments: BigID, Superhuman, Blockdaemon, Spotify
• Track record: The firm has made over 200 investments and has 33 exits.

You can refer to their website here.

10. SHAKTI

SHAKTI is an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco that invests in technology companies. They focus on providing seed and early-stage funding for businesses in sectors like AI, robotics, and infrastructure.

The firm has backed several high-profile companies that have reached significant scale, including decacorns like Canva and Bolt, and public companies like Backblaze. Their portfolio also includes Gatik.ai, an autonomous logistics company, showing their interest in robotics with practical applications.

SHAKTI is a good fit if you are an early-stage founder building a tech company with the potential for massive growth. Their track record suggests they are comfortable backing businesses from the initial idea through to major funding rounds and exits.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: AI, robotics, consumer applications, and infrastructure
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2020
• Notable investments: Canva, Backblaze, Bolt, Gatik.ai
• Portfolio size: 26 investments

You can refer to their website here.

11. Moment Ventures

Moment Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in companies building for the future of work. They support founders from the seed stage onward, focusing on businesses that change how industries operate.

The firm’s "future of work" thesis is clear in its portfolio, which includes companies like Savioke, maker of the Relay service robot, and Flowspace, a logistics tech platform. This shows a focus on practical applications in robotics, infrastructure, and enterprise software.

This firm is a good match if you are an early-stage founder whose technology addresses the evolving needs of the modern workforce. They are a strong potential partner for companies in service robotics, logistics, or IT infrastructure.

• Investment stages: Seed, early, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Infrastructure, robotics, and the future of work
• Geographical presence: Based in Palo Alto, California
• Founded: 2013
• Notable investments: Savioke, Flowspace, World View
• Track record: The firm has made 49 investments and has 10 exits.

You can refer to their website here.

12. Anorak Ventures

Anorak Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in founders and technologies with the potential to create significant change. They focus on deep tech sectors, including augmented and virtual reality, computer vision, and robotics.

The firm's strategy centers on backing companies at the earliest stages, often providing seed or Series A funding. Their portfolio includes highly successful companies like the logistics platform Flexport and defense-tech unicorn Anduril Industries, showing a pattern of investing in businesses that redefine their markets.

Anorak Ventures is a good fit if you are an early-stage founder working on foundational technology in areas like AR/VR or robotics. Their track record suggests they are looking for ambitious teams building companies with the potential for massive scale and industry impact.

• Investment stages: Seed and Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Augmented reality, computer vision, robotics, and video streaming
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2016
• Notable investments: Flexport, Anduril Industries, Rec Room, Mux, Osso VR
• Track record: 97 investments and 9 exits

You can refer to their website here.

13. Neotribe Ventures

Neotribe Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in companies developing breakthrough technologies. They support businesses that are stretching the imagination in their respective fields.

The firm has a history of backing companies to major exits, including the IPO of Robinhood and the acquisition of CipherTrace by Mastercard. Their portfolio shows a focus on foundational technologies across sectors like robotics, enterprise software, and clean tech.

Neotribe is a good fit if you are an early-stage founder working on a technically ambitious idea with the potential for high growth. Their history of successful exits suggests they are well-suited for teams aiming for a public offering or a major acquisition.

• Investment stages: Seed, early-stage venture, and private equity
• Industries of focus: Robotics, CleanTech, cybersecurity, and enterprise software
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2017
• Notable investments: Robinhood, CipherTrace, Energy Vault, Heliogen
• Track record: The firm has made 77 investments and has 8 exits.

You can refer to their website here.

14. Thursday Ventures

Thursday Ventures is a venture capital firm that funds and supports early-stage companies building technologies with the potential for global impact. They invest across a company's lifecycle, from seed to later stages.

The firm’s portfolio includes high-growth companies like the fitness-wearable maker WHOOP and the OpenAI-backed robotics startup 1X Technologies. This signals an interest in businesses with strong consumer appeal and those working on foundational hardware.

Thursday Ventures is a strong match for founders building ambitious technology companies with the potential for significant scale. They are particularly relevant for startups in robotics, fintech, and health tech.

• Investment stages: Seed, early, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Robotics, FinTech, software, and electric vehicles
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2017
• Notable investments: WHOOP, 1X Technologies, Chronosphere, Biobot Analytics
• Portfolio size: 20 investments

You can refer to their website here.

15. Davidovs Venture Collective

Davidovs Venture Collective is a venture capital firm that invests in technology companies, with a focus on early-stage founders.

The firm has a clear focus on backing ambitious, high-growth technology companies, particularly in the AI sector. Their portfolio includes unicorn Perplexity AI and AI-chip startup Etched, signaling a strategy of investing in businesses with the potential to become industry leaders.

This firm is a strong potential partner if you are an early-stage founder building a company in AI or robotics with high-growth potential. Their track record indicates a preference for technically ambitious teams aiming for significant market impact.

• Investment stages: Seed and Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Artificial intelligence, robotics, and venture capital
• Geographical presence: Based in Los Altos, California
• Founded: 2021
• Notable investments: Perplexity AI, Etched, Ecwid
• Track record: The firm has made 74 investments and has 3 exits.

You can refer to their website here.

What This Tells Us About The VC Scene for Robotics Companies

This overview shows a healthy and active group of investors for robotics companies, with a strong emphasis on the early stages. Many of the firms on our list specialize in writing the first checks, from pre-seed to Series A. This indicates that capital is available for you if you have a compelling technical idea, even before significant revenue.

While the San Francisco Bay Area is home to a significant number of these investors, you can also find key partners in other tech hubs like New York, Chicago, and Austin. This distribution provides more fundraising options for companies located across the country. The variety of investor focus is also notable, with firms specializing in everything from dual-use technology to consumer applications. Finding an investor whose focus aligns with your company's mission can provide more than just capital; it can offer valuable, specific guidance for your next steps.

Raise Confidently with Rho

Approaching the right investors is crucial, especially when your time is limited during a fundraise. We hope this list helps you focus your energy on the firms that are the best fit for your company.

Once your round is closed, the work of managing that capital begins. Rho can help you set up your financial stack in minutes.

Our platform gives you the tools to manage your new funding with business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay. This lets you focus on building your business, not on administrative tasks.

FAQs about Venture Capital Firms Focused on Robotics

What do deep tech VC firms look for in a robotics startup?

Deep tech investors typically focus on the strength of your intellectual property and the expertise of your technical team. They also want to see a clear, defensible technology advantage and a plan for a large, addressable market.

Which robotics VC firms are based in Boston?

Boston is a major hub for robotics innovation, partly due to talent from universities like MIT. Firms in the area often specialize in deep tech and hardware, supporting companies from the earliest stages of development.

How should I approach an early-stage venture capital firm?

A warm introduction through a mutual contact in your network is the most effective method. If you send a cold email, make it concise and clearly explain how your company aligns with the firm’s specific investment thesis.

Are there many European venture capital firms focused on robotics?

Yes, Europe has a strong and growing ecosystem of VCs investing in robotics and industrial automation. Key hubs include Germany, the UK, and the Nordics, with a focus on advanced manufacturing and enterprise applications.

How can Rho help after I raise from a venture capital firm?

Once your round is closed, our platform helps you manage your new capital with integrated business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay. This lets you focus on building your company. Get started with Rho.