Rivian has created its second spinoff firm this yr: an industrial AI and robotics enterprise known as Thoughts Robotics.
The brand new effort can be centered round utilizing “industrial AI to reshape how bodily world companies function and leverage Rivian operations information as the muse for a robotics information flywheel,” in keeping with a the corporate’s third-quarter shareholder letter revealed Tuesday. (That’s a mouthful of buzzwords; we’ve requested Rivian to make clear issues a bit extra and can replace the put up if it does.)
Rivian stated Tuesday it has secured round $110 million in “exterior seed capital,” however didn’t instantly provide another details about Thoughts Robotics. “We imagine AI-enabled robotics can assist a variety of business purposes,” Rivian wrote within the letter.
The launch of Thoughts Robotics marks the second time this yr that Rivian has created a brand new standalone firm. In March, the corporate spun out its skunkworks micromobility division right into a startup known as Additionally Inc. That new firm was funded partly by cash from Eclipse, with further funding from Greenoaks Capital.
A trademark application for Thoughts Robotics was submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Workplace on Monday that lists Eclipse companion Jiten Behl as a signatory for the newly-created firm, together with Eclipse’s Palo Alto headquarters as the company handle. Behl didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
It’s unclear if Rivian staff are transferring over to Thoughts Robotics, like was the case with Additionally. A Rivian spokesperson declined to say. However the firm hinted on the risk in Tuesday’s letter.
“With our robust bench of know-how expertise and an innovation-driven tradition, we have now been capable of establish further areas of worth to speed up our mission on a wider scale whereas sustaining Rivian’s focus,” Scaringe wrote
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Robotics and industrial AI are sizzling areas for funding proper now. There’s a slew of humanoid robotics firms elevating cash and attempting to ship merchandise, together with Tesla. Common Motors is working by itself robotics and AI division, too.
Past Rivian’s announcement Tuesday, although, little or no is understood about what Thoughts Robotics will rise up to. There’s basically no digital footprint for the corporate but, save for the trademark software. That software could be very broadly focused and says Thoughts Robotics may use the trademark for every thing from equipment, to autos, to “incubators for eggs.”
