Nvidia Alumni Fuel Next Wave of Robotics Startups
Nvidia's robotics lab has become a breeding ground for startups, as its alumni are launching companies that build on the foundation laid by the chip giant. The company has invested heavily in robotics and AI, popularizing the term 'physical AI' to describe machines interacting with the real world.
Former Nvidia employees, including Sanja Fidler and Joel Jang, have left to start their own companies, which are tackling different areas of robotics. Techable Ventures, founded by Amulya Vishwanath, is focused on physical AI, while Veeda AI builds simulated worlds to train robots.
Nvidia's former vice president of AI research, Sanja Fidler, said that the company maintains close ties with startups and provides access to early tools for testing. Flexion Robotics' CEO and cofounder Nikita Rudin stated, 'We're still doing the same thing we were doing before... We were the beta testers, and now again, just from the outside.'
The robotics startup ecosystem has seen significant growth, with physical AI companies raising $33.4 billion globally in the first half of 2026, surpassing last year's total of $28.7 billion.