The State Of Robotics Investing In 2023: Insights From 13 VCs

Robotics has been an area of interest for investors for several years, and 2023 is proving to be no different. A recent survey of 13 venture capitalists (VCs) conducted by TechCrunch reveals the current state of robotics investing and the trends that are shaping this industry.

The VCs that participated in the survey include Milo Werner of The Engine, Abe Murray of Alley Robotics Ventures, Kelly Chen of DCVC, Neel Mehta of G2 Ventures, Oliver Keown of Intuitive Ventures, Rohit Sharma of True Ventures, Helen Greiner of Cybernetix Ventures, Kira Noodleman of Bee Ventures, Dayna Grayson of Construct Capital, Paul Willard of Grep, Cyril Ebersweiler of SOSV, Claire Delaunay, and Peter Barrett of Playground Global.

Robotics as a Service (RaaS) was a hot topic among the VCs. Milo Werner of The Engine stated that “RaaS will become a more significant portion of the robotics ecosystem over the next few years.” Rohit Sharma of True Ventures added that “RaaS has the potential to make robotics more accessible to smaller businesses and startups.”

The VCs also discussed emerging consumer products in the robotics industry. Cyril Ebersweiler of SOSV commented that “home robots are a popular area for investment, but there are many other exciting consumer products being developed in the robotics space, such as robotic toys and educational robots.”

The role of robotics in addressing climate change was another area of discussion. Dayna Grayson of Construct Capital said, “Robotics can play a critical role in addressing climate change, particularly in areas like agriculture, where automation can help reduce waste and increase efficiency.”

Several VCs also spoke about the impact of emerging technologies on the robotics industry. Kelly Chen of DCVC noted that “AI is a game-changer for robotics, enabling robots to learn and adapt to their environments in real-time.” Oliver Keown of Intuitive Ventures added that “sensors and other IoT technologies are also playing a significant role in advancing the capabilities of robots.”

In terms of the current state of the robotics industry, the VCs had mixed views. Kira Noodleman of Bee Ventures said, “The robotics industry is still in its early stages, but there are many exciting developments happening across the sector.” Claire Delaunay, a private investor, added that “there is a lot of hype around robotics, but we are only scratching the surface of what this technology can do.”

Overall, the survey provides a snapshot of the current state of robotics investing, highlighting the trends and technologies that are shaping this industry. As Milo Werner of The Engine stated, “Robotics is a rapidly evolving industry, and investors need to stay on top of the latest developments to identify the most promising opportunities.”

In conclusion, the survey shows that robotics is an exciting and rapidly growing industry that is attracting the attention of investors from a wide range of backgrounds. From RaaS and emerging consumer products to climate change and emerging technologies, there are many factors that are shaping the future of robotics investing. As this industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how investors adapt and respond to these trends.