Now venture capital is about robotics.
Global VC investment in robotics start-ups totaled $9.9 billion in the third quarter, more than double the $4.3 billion invested in the third quarter of 2025, according to Crunchbase data.
Roughly 75 robotics companies deemed to be unicorns have raised funding in the past three years, per Crunchbase. Of these, 45, or more than half, attained unicorn status this year alone.
“Among the most highly valued robotics start-ups, many competing companies are building data and models, as well as varied vertical-use cases in heavy industry, manufacturing, logistics, and household and use cases, among others,” Crunchbase says in a recent report.
In a separate report, Crunchbase says companies involved in construction and robotics raised about $1.6 billion this year through October 29, more than four times the $389 million raised in all of 2025, Crunchbase data reveals.
“Construction companies are struggling to find enough workers,” Crunchbase notes. “For start-ups, that means venture investors are pouring money into companies betting that robots can help close the gap.”
It says the funding surge reflects bigger bets rather than more deals, though the sector has reported 30 financing rounds this year through October compared with 28 for full-year 2025.
Investors in these private companies include firms best known for their hedge funds, led by Tiger Global Management.
As Institutional Investor previously reported, Tiger Global is a major player in the announced merger between FORT Robotics, a self-described safety platform for physical AI, and Newbury Street II Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition company. The new company will be called FORT Robotics Holdings.
The deal initially included about $31 million from both a private investment in public equity and an agreement from new and existing investors like Tiger Global, Mark Cuban, and Prologis Ventures. On October 22, FORT announced it had received an additional $20 million in commitments from existing investors and that Tiger Global is leading a roughly $10 million financing, with participation from Mark Cuban Cos. Tiger also committed a further $10 million to the previously announced PIPE.
Tiger Global is a longtime investor in FORT. In August 2025, it led an $18.9 million financing for FORT Robotics’ Series B funding round. In the press release, Tiger Global was cited as a returning investor.
On Tuesday, Path Robotics, a major player in what is called physical AI for manufacturing, announced $300 million in Series E funding at a valuation of $2.45 billion. It was led by Georgian, an AI-focused growth equity firm, and includes Tiger Global and D.E. Shaw Ventures, among others.
Figure is the most valuable robotics company, with a valuation of $39 billion. Coatue Management is a previous investor. Atoms is the second-most valuable. It counts King Street Capital Management as an earlier investor.
Coatue was involved in at least two different funding rounds for Skild AI, valued at $14 billion. Nuro, valued at $8.7 billion, counts Tiger Global among its investors.
Among construction robotics companies, Bedrock Robotics, an autonomous construction technology company, was involved in two financings this year, including the largest construction robotics financing of the year.
In February, it raised $270 million in Series B funding. Then in late October, it announced a $600 million Series C financing at a $4.1 billion valuation. No hedge fund–related firm participated in the two rounds, though Two Sigma Investments was an investor in the company’s earlier Series A financing.
ICON, which builds homes using 3D printing, also raised money in two different rounds this year. In February, it closed on $56 million in Series C funding co-led by Norwest Venture Partners and Tiger Global. In October, it raised $200 million in a Series D round that counted Tiger Global among its investors.
