RLWRLD Secures $14.8M Funding to Develop Robotics Foundational Model

As robotics technology continues to evolve, industries worldwide are increasingly turning to robots to handle repetitive tasks. In 2023 alone, over 540,000 new industrial robots were installed globally, pushing the total number of active industrial robots past the 4 million mark, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). Yet, despite their prowess in repetitive tasks, industrial robots often struggle with precision work, handling delicate materials, and adapting to dynamic environments. Imagine a robot trying to navigate the chaos of a busy restaurant kitchen—it's more likely to cause chaos than help.

This is where many industrial processes remain manual, but South Korean startup RLWRLD is stepping in with a solution. They've developed a foundational AI model tailored specifically for robotics, integrating large language models with traditional robotics software. This innovation, they claim, will allow robots to move quickly and agilely, even incorporating a level of "logical reasoning."

"RLWRLD's foundation model enables the automation of labor-intensive processes by learning and replicating human expertise, significantly enhancing workplace efficiency," said Jung-Hee Ryu, RLWRLD's founder and CEO, in an exclusive TechCrunch interview.

RLWRLD is now emerging from stealth mode, backed by a hefty 21 billion KRW (around $14.8 million) in seed funding. The round was spearheaded by Hashed, with additional investments from Mirae Asset Venture Investment and Global Brain. What's more, RLWRLD has caught the eye of major strategic investors like Ana Group, PKSHA, Mitsui Chemical, Shimadzu, and KDDI from Japan; LG Electronics and SK Telecom from Korea; and Amber Manufacturing from India.

The fresh capital will be channeled into proof-of-concept projects with these strategic partners, beefing up computing infrastructure with GPUs, acquiring robots and data collection devices, and recruiting top research talent. Ryu also highlighted that RLWRLD aims to pioneer advanced five-finger hand movements—a feature yet to be matched by competitors such as Tesla, Figure AI, and 1X.

Founded in 2024, RLWRLD marks Ryu's third venture. His previous startup, Olaworks, was snapped up by Intel in 2012, becoming part of Intel's Korea R&D center focused on computer vision. In 2015, he launched Future Play, a startup accelerator dedicated to deep tech companies.

Ryu's decision to start anew stemmed from observing the rapid rise of AI startups in the U.S., Europe, and China, while similar ventures in Korea and Japan lagged. After discussions with over 30 AI professors from these countries about their challenges—from insufficient data and GPU infrastructure to venture launch hurdles—he saw a strategic opportunity. "I determined that it would be strategically beneficial to prioritize robotics foundation models (RFM) over the technologically saturated field of LLMs, capitalizing on Korea and Japan's notable global strengths in manufacturing," Ryu explained.

To kickstart RLWRLD, Ryu recruited six professors from prestigious South Korean institutions like KAIST, SNU, and POSTECH, along with their research teams. While RLWRLD isn't the only one in this race—startups like Skild AI and Physical Intelligence, as well as giants like Tesla, Google DeepMind, and Nvidia, are also developing robotics foundational models—Ryu believes RLWRLD has a strong foundation. "Additionally, [such companies] typically rely on low-DoF robots such as two-fingered grippers. RLWRLD has already secured a high-DoF reference robot, and therefore expects superior performance outcomes," he noted.

With strategic investors nearby, RLWRLD can quickly gather essential data from manufacturing sites. A 2024 report highlighted that Japan and South Korea together account for 9.2% of global manufacturing production. RLWRLD plans to start generating revenue this year through proof-of-concept projects and collaboration demos with strategic partners.

The startup's long-term vision includes serving factories, logistics centers, and retail stores, and even developing robots for domestic use to help with household tasks. For now, the focus is on the industrial sector due to its high demand and willingness to invest in automation.

Currently, RLWRLD employs 13 people, all working towards revolutionizing the robotics landscape.