Investments in robotics are gaining momentum after a post-pandemic slowdown

New numbers from Crunchbase this week show robotics investment is heading in a positive direction once more. The previous two years saw a regular decline in overall numbers, following a record 2021 driven by pandemic-related job losses. As we enter the second half of the yr, 2024 is heading in the right direction to beat last yr’s numbers.

$4.2 billion was invested in the category in the primary six months of the yr, putting the yr heading in the right direction to beat 2023’s trailing 12-month total of $6.8 billion. That figure remains to be well below 2021’s COVID peak of $17.7 billion and even 2022’s $10.3 billion.

But it marks a recovery from the double whammy of economic disruption and post-pandemic reopening that brought the industry back to Earth.

The hot white humanoid category continued to realize momentum. Figure led the way in which there with a massive $675 million Series B. This lift alone moved the indicator a bit. Another significant investment in humanoids got here through 1X. The Norwegian company, which counts OpenAI as an early backer, raised a solid $100 million.

Medical robots are having a good yr due to big rounds from MMI and Rono Surgical, but once more the most important driver is employee substitute as spaces like warehouses and factories look to automate jobs they’ve difficulty filling.

These demands aren’t going away anytime soon, and the continued investment interest in all things AI will likely further fuel the expansion of robotics startups. Unfortunately, it could take one other pandemic to achieve 2021 levels.