Rivian Creates Another Spinoff Company Called Mind Robotics

Rivian has created its 2nd spinoff institution this year: an business AI and robotics institution called Mind Robotics.

The caller effort will beryllium focused astir utilizing “industrial AI to reshape really beingness world businesses run and leverage Rivian operations information arsenic nan instauration for a robotics information flywheel,” according to a nan company’s third-quarter shareholder missive published Tuesday. (That’s a mouthful of buzzwords; we’ve asked Rivian to explain things a spot much and will update nan station if it does.)

Rivian said Tuesday it has secured astir $110 cardinal successful “external seed capital,” but did not instantly connection immoderate different accusation astir Mind Robotics. “We judge AI-enabled robotics tin support a wide scope of business applications,” Rivian wrote successful nan letter.

The motorboat of Mind Robotics marks nan 2nd clip this twelvemonth that Rivian has created a caller standalone company. In March, nan company spun retired its skunkworks micromobility division into a startup called Also Inc. That caller institution was funded successful portion by money from Eclipse, pinch additional backing from Greenoaks Capital.

A trademark application for Mind Robotics was submitted to nan U.S. Patent and Trademark Office connected Monday that lists Eclipse partner Jiten Behl arsenic a signatory for nan newly-created company, on pinch Eclipse’s Palo Alto office arsenic nan firm address. Behl did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

It’s unclear if Rivian labor are moving complete to Mind Robotics, for illustration was nan lawsuit pinch Also. A Rivian spokesperson declined to say. But nan institution hinted astatine nan anticipation successful Tuesday’s letter.

“With our beardown chair of exertion talent and an innovation-driven culture, we person been capable to place further areas of worth to accelerate our ngo connected a wider standard while maintaining Rivian’s focus,” Scaringe wrote

Robotics and business AI are basking areas for finance correct now. There is simply a slew of humanoid robotics companies raising money and trying to vessel products, including Tesla. General Motors is moving connected its ain robotics and AI division, too.

Beyond Rivian’s announcement Tuesday, though, very small is known astir what Mind Robotics will get up to. There is fundamentally nary integer footprint for nan institution yet, prevention for nan trademark application. That exertion is very broadly targeted and says Mind Robotics could usage nan trademark for everything from machinery, to vehicles, to “incubators for eggs.”