New Crunchbase numbers this week show investments in robotics ai-2024-figure/”>Once again, the trend is going in a positive direction.The previous two years featured a steady decline in overall numbers, following a record 2021 fueled by pandemic-driven job losses. As we approach the second half of the year, 2024 is on track to surpass last year's numbers.
In the first six months of the year, $4.2 billion has been invested in this category, putting this year on track to surpass 2023's 12-month total of $6.8 billion. The figure is still well below the 2021 COVID peak, which brought in $17.7 billion, and even the $10.3 billion in 2022.
However, this signals a recovery from the double whammy of economic headwinds and post-pandemic reopenings that brought the industry back to Earth.
The hot humanoid category continued to gain momentum. Figure led the charge with a massive $675 million Series B funding round. That collection alone made the situation move a little. The other notable investment in humanoids came from 1X. The Norwegian firm, which counts OpenAI as one of the first sponsors, contributed a healthy $100 million.
Medical robots have had a good year, thanks to big rounds from MMI and Rono Surgical, but once again, labor replacement is the biggest driver, as spaces like warehouses and factories look to automate jobs they struggle to automate. cover.
Those demands won't go away anytime soon, while continued investment enthusiasm in all things ai is likely to further fuel the growth of robotics startups. Unfortunately, it may take another pandemic for things to reach 2021 levels.
