Eka Robotics raises US$150 million for touch-guided robots
Andreessen Horowitz and F-Prime led the Series A round, with funding intended to expand model training and accelerate customer deployments.
Eka Robotics has announced a US$150 million Series A funding round to develop robots that use both visual information and force feedback to handle objects. Andreessen Horowitz and F-Prime led the investment in the Cambridge, Massachusetts startup. TechCrunch reported a post-money valuation of US$1.45 billion.
The company said it would use the funding to broaden the tasks its model learns and accelerate deployments with customers. Returning investors included Obvious Ventures and E14 Fund, which led its seed financing. Samsung Next, Bison Ventures, Glasswing Ventures and MFV Partners also participated.
Eka combines camera-based information with readings from force sensors in a robot hand, allowing the system to detect and adjust a slipping grip. TechCrunch reported that Eka developed the hand with additional force sensors. Co-founder Pulkit Agrawal said the hardware costs less than US$1,000.
Rather than relying on recordings of people performing tasks, Eka uses reinforcement learning to train robots through trial and error in a physics simulator before transferring those skills to hardware. The company claims this process produces thousands of hours of simulated experience within minutes.
Eka says its robots can pick unfamiliar objects at a rate of 1,500 an hour. TechCrunch reported a success rate above 95% when handling objects weighing up to 1 kg; TNW said it had not verified the figures. Industrial pilots cover pick-and-place work and wire handling, according to TechCrunch, but the customers have not been identified.
