The advancement of robotics has led to a significant increase in the adoption of robots in various industries to automate tasks. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), over 540,000 new industrial robots were installed globally in 2023, bringing the total number of active industrial robots to over 4 million.

While industrial robots excel in performing repetitive tasks, they struggle with tasks that require precision, handling delicate materials, and adapting to changing conditions. This limitation is why many industrial processes still rely on manual labor. For instance, a robot in a restaurant kitchen would likely be more of a hindrance than a help.

To address this challenge, South Korean startup RLWRLD has developed a foundational AI model specifically designed for robotics. By combining large language models with traditional robotics software, the company aims to enable robots to make swift and agile movements and perform logical reasoning. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including manufacturing and logistics.

“Our foundation model allows processes that require a lot of manual work to be completely automated by learning and copying human expertise, making work environments more efficient,” said Jung-Hee Ryu, founder and CEO of RLWRLD, in an exclusive interview with TechCrunch.

RLWRLD has successfully raised 21 billion KRW (approximately $14.8 million) in seed funding, led by venture capital firm Hashed, with participation from Mirae Asset Venture Investment and Global Brain. Notably, the startup has also attracted a long list of strategic investors, including Ana Group, PKSHA, Mitsui Chemical, Shimadzu, and KDDI from Japan, as well as LG Electronics and SK Telecom from Korea, and Amber Manufacturing from India.

The seed funding will be utilized to support proof-of-concept projects with strategic investors, acquire computing infrastructure, such as GPUs, and purchase robots and devices to collect extensive data. Additionally, the funds will be used to hire top research talent and develop advanced hand movements involving five-fingers, a capability that sets RLWRLD apart from its competitors, including Tesla, Figure AI, and 1X, according to Ryu.

Ryu also mentioned that RLWRLD is working closely with its strategic investors to explore ways to automate various human-centric workflows using its AI model. The company is preparing a humanoid-based autonomous action demonstration, scheduled for later this year, and is developing a platform that can support various types of robots, including industrial, collaborative, autonomous mobile robots, and humanoids.

Founded in 2024, RLWRLD is Ryu’s third startup venture. His second startup, Olaworks, was acquired by Intel in 2012 and eventually became Intel’s Korea R&D center within its computer vision division. Ryu also founded a startup accelerator, Future Play, in 2015, which focuses on deep tech companies.

When asked about the inspiration behind starting RLWRLD, Ryu explained that he noticed a lack of AI startups in Korea and Japan compared to the US, Europe, and China. He spoke with over 30 AI professors from Korea and Japan, discussing the challenges they faced, including the lack of infrastructure and obstacles that discouraged them from launching ventures.

Ryu determined that it would be strategically beneficial to prioritize robotics foundation models over the saturated field of large language models, leveraging Korea and Japan’s strengths in manufacturing. He then brought on board six professors from top-ranked institutions in South Korea, along with their research teams, to launch RLWRLD.

RLWRLD is not the only company tackling this challenge. Startups like Skild AI and Physical Intelligence are also building foundational models for robotics, as are larger firms like Tesla, Google DeepMind, and Nvidia. However, Ryu believes that RLWRLD has a strong foundation, with the necessary AI and robotics experts to develop foundational models for robotics and humanoid robots with a high degree of freedom.

“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,” Ryu said.

Ryu also highlighted the advantage of having strategic investors, which enables RLWRLD to quickly gather valuable data from manufacturing sites located nearby. According to a 2024 report, Japan and South Korea collectively accounted for 9.2% of worldwide manufacturing production.

RLWRLD aims to generate revenue as early as this year through proof-of-concept projects and collaboration demonstrations with strategic partners. The startup’s long-term goal is to cater to factories, logistics centers, and retail stores, as well as robots that can be used in domestic environments to assist with household chores.

For now, the priority is to target industrial clients, as they are willing to pay the most and have a strong demand for automation. RLWRLD currently has 13 employees and is well-positioned to make a significant impact in the field of robotics.