Business Insider Names 25 Robotics Startups as Physical AI Funding Hits $16.3 Billion
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · Aug 17
Business Insider Names 25 Robotics Startups as Physical AI Funding Hits $16.3 Billion
3 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Aug 17
Summary
Business Insider published its first list of 25 robotics startups to watch in 2026, based on picks from 14 investors spanning firms including Sequoia, Bessemer and Bain Capital Ventures.
PitchBook data underpins the enthusiasm: physical AI startups raised a record $16.3 billion across 492 deals in the first quarter, as investors chased AI beyond software.
The selections show a broad market, from robot-brain developers such as FieldAI, Generalist and Skild to humanoid and home-robot builders including Unitree, Walden and Sunday Robotics.
Several companies already show commercial traction: Unitree shipped more than 5,500 humanoids in 2025, Skild reported $30 million of 2025 revenue, and Mecka said it topped $100 million in annualized revenue.
The list also highlights the sector's tension: hardware costs are falling and factory reshoring is boosting demand, but researchers still question near-term viability for humanoids and general-purpose home robots.