Robotics remains in a “Lego era,” with actuators, robotic hands, software, and safety standards still being rebuilt, and not on the cusp of a ChatGPT moment even as capital floods into AI. Amulya Vishwanath, founder of Techable VC and a former NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) product marketing leader, made the case on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast that aired on Friday.
Vishwanath spent seven years leading product marketing for Nvidia’s robotics platforms. She also worked on the company’s Isaac Lab and the GR00T humanoid effort.
Simulation, Safety Seen as Next Catalysts
“There’s been quite a bit of progress. But that said, there’s a Lego era that’s happening for robotics,” she said, adding that simulation will grow more critical.
Vishwanath said the industry needs “more emphasis on open-source safety and newer standards” that need to be set for robotics. Large companies now partner with startups and universities, she added, citing a possible tie-up among NVIDIA, a university, startups and companies.
Early Money Goes to the Building Blocks
That view shapes where Vishwanath invests. Her firm backs early-stage startups in robotics, materials science and life sciences, where the foundational pieces are still being built.
Views differ on how close deployment is. Ouster Inc. (NASDAQ:OUST) CEO Angus Pacala told Benzinga in August that mature pilots are moving into production, but the key question is whether robots can work safely every day for years.
A September Citrini Research report found most humanoid robots remain in development, training or tele-operated demos, with real-world deployments closer to pilots than clear return-on-investment cases.
That gap explains her focus on components. Vishwanath said U.S. startups are now making actuators, robotic hands and U.S.-made robots, and she called a domestic supply chain important.
Actuators act as a robot’s muscles, and a single humanoid needs dozens.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock
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