Toyota Ventures

Toyota Ventures, founded in 2017 and based in the San Francisco Bay Area, serves as the corporate venture capital arm of Toyota Motor. The firm focuses on investing in early-stage startups worldwide that are developing disruptive technologies and innovative business models. With over $500 million in assets under management, Toyota Ventures aims to identify and support advancements in sectors such as artificial intelligence, autonomy, mobility, robotics, cloud technology, climate tech, renewable energy, smart cities, digital health, fintech, and materials. The company operates two primary funds: the Toyota Ventures Frontier Fund, which targets a broad range of technological advancements, and the Toyota Ventures Climate Fund, dedicated to solutions that promote carbon neutrality.

Chris Abshire

Senior Associate

Jim Adler

Founding Managing Director

Lisa Coca

Partner, Climate. Fund

Erin Keller

Senior Associate

Ethan Sohn

Principal, Climate Fund

Past deals in Robotics

Agtonomy

Series A in 2024
Agtonomy is a platform that combines hybrid autonomy and tele-assistance to provide advanced AI solutions for the agricultural sector. The company addresses significant challenges faced by farmers, including labor shortages, sustainability issues, and decreasing profit margins. By collaborating with established equipment manufacturers, Agtonomy converts traditional tractors and agricultural machinery into autonomous and remote-controlled systems. This transformation allows local farmers to enhance their operational efficiency and adaptability while managing limited budgets and seasonal pressures. Through its innovative approach, Agtonomy aims to empower farmers and improve agricultural productivity.

Agtonomy

Series A in 2023
Agtonomy is a platform that combines hybrid autonomy and tele-assistance to provide advanced AI solutions for the agricultural sector. The company addresses significant challenges faced by farmers, including labor shortages, sustainability issues, and decreasing profit margins. By collaborating with established equipment manufacturers, Agtonomy converts traditional tractors and agricultural machinery into autonomous and remote-controlled systems. This transformation allows local farmers to enhance their operational efficiency and adaptability while managing limited budgets and seasonal pressures. Through its innovative approach, Agtonomy aims to empower farmers and improve agricultural productivity.

Atomic Industries

Seed Round in 2023
Atomic Industries is a computational manufacturing company building an AI-powered tool and die maker.

Boxbot

Series A in 2023
Boxbot is a technology company based in Alameda, California, specializing in parcel logistics automation. Its proprietary software and hardware platform enhances package handling by transforming traditional conveyors into three-dimensional systems. This modular solution allows for the efficient storage, sorting, and sequencing of various package sizes while occupying a minimal physical footprint. By integrating robotics and automated systems, Boxbot addresses key operational challenges in last-mile logistics, facilitating faster and more efficient routing of packages within warehouses. The company's innovations aim to reduce costs associated with last-mile delivery, ultimately improving the overall experience for both suppliers and consumers.

Intuition Robotics

Venture Round in 2023
Intuition Robotics Ltd. is a company based in Ramat Gan, Israel, founded in 2015. It specializes in designing and developing artificial intelligence-based social companion technologies aimed at improving the quality of life for older adults. The company’s technology includes robots that facilitate seamless connections between older individuals and their family and friends, making technology more accessible and user-friendly. By employing proprietary algorithms, Intuition Robotics' digital companions proactively engage users, helping to address challenges such as loneliness, social isolation, and health issues. The company’s focus is on enabling older adults to maintain their independence for longer periods while promoting an active lifestyle.

Pickle Robot

Series A in 2022
Pickle Robot Company, founded in 2018 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, develops an innovative package handling robot designed to automate critical tasks in the e-commerce supply chain. The company's first robot, named Dill, addresses the physically demanding nature of package handling, which often results in high employee turnover. Dill is capable of performing multiple shifts and effectively communicates with human workers, continuously developing new skills to enhance operations. The robot's capabilities include loading and unloading feeder trucks, palletizing and depalletizing mixed parcels, preloading last-mile delivery vehicles, and sorting packages. By automating these processes, Pickle Robot aims to help logistics companies reduce labor costs and increase efficiency, addressing a significant bottleneck in the rapidly growing e-commerce sector.

Agtonomy

Seed Round in 2022
Agtonomy is a platform that combines hybrid autonomy and tele-assistance to provide advanced AI solutions for the agricultural sector. The company addresses significant challenges faced by farmers, including labor shortages, sustainability issues, and decreasing profit margins. By collaborating with established equipment manufacturers, Agtonomy converts traditional tractors and agricultural machinery into autonomous and remote-controlled systems. This transformation allows local farmers to enhance their operational efficiency and adaptability while managing limited budgets and seasonal pressures. Through its innovative approach, Agtonomy aims to empower farmers and improve agricultural productivity.

Xona Space Systems

Venture Round in 2022
Xona Space Systems, Inc. specializes in developing and manufacturing position, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellite solutions. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, the company is focused on creating a constellation of low-cost, low-Earth orbiting satellites designed to enhance navigation for various applications, including autonomous vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and mobile robotics. Their flagship product, the Xona Pulsar, delivers high-power signals from low Earth orbit, ensuring secure and accurate navigation and timing services. This innovative approach aims to meet the demands of smart transportation and smart infrastructure, providing the resilience and precision necessary for modern intelligent systems to operate safely and efficiently at scale.

SLAMcore

Series A in 2022
SLAMcore Limited specializes in developing simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) solutions tailored for various applications, including robotics, augmented reality, and autonomous vehicles. Founded in 2016 and based in London, the company has created advanced SLAM software that enables robots and devices equipped with outward-facing sensors to understand and navigate unfamiliar environments. Their technology includes Visual SLAM, sensor fusion, and Event Camera SLAM, which collectively enhance real-time spatial understanding. By fusing data from multiple sensors, SLAMcore's platform utilizes computer vision and machine learning to improve the efficiency and accuracy of robotic systems. The company offers a software development kit (SDK) that facilitates rapid prototyping for commercial products, allowing for customization on standard computing platforms. Through partnerships with original equipment manufacturers, SLAMcore aims to integrate its core technology into everyday products, making spatial intelligence more accessible and practical in various industries.

Agtonomy

Seed Round in 2022
Agtonomy is a platform that combines hybrid autonomy and tele-assistance to provide advanced AI solutions for the agricultural sector. The company addresses significant challenges faced by farmers, including labor shortages, sustainability issues, and decreasing profit margins. By collaborating with established equipment manufacturers, Agtonomy converts traditional tractors and agricultural machinery into autonomous and remote-controlled systems. This transformation allows local farmers to enhance their operational efficiency and adaptability while managing limited budgets and seasonal pressures. Through its innovative approach, Agtonomy aims to empower farmers and improve agricultural productivity.

Elementary Robotics

Series B in 2021
Elementary Robotics, Inc. specializes in manufacturing robots designed to assist humans in various industries, including electronics, automotive, medical, and consumer packaged goods. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Pasadena, California, with additional offices in Mexico and Chicago, the company focuses on automating quality assurance and traceability processes in AI-assisted manufacturing. Its robots are equipped with advanced software, deep learning AI, and camera systems to capture visual data, enabling real-time decision-making and enhancing the efficiency of production lines. By integrating machine learning and computer vision, Elementary Robotics aims to create intelligent automation solutions that improve productivity and streamline workflows in manufacturing and logistics.

Burro

Series A in 2021
Burro is a developer of an autonomous farming platform designed to enhance productivity in agricultural settings. The company creates robotic tools that autonomously follow workers and transport cargo, alleviating them of physically demanding tasks that do not add significant value. By automating these labor-intensive activities, Burro enables farmworkers to concentrate on more critical functions, ultimately improving operational efficiency. Additionally, the tools capture essential data to facilitate further automation of farm work, aligning with the long-term goal of automating tedious outdoor tasks. Through its innovative approach, Burro aims to support farmers in optimizing their operations and fostering growth.

Xona Space Systems

Seed Round in 2021
Xona Space Systems, Inc. specializes in developing and manufacturing position, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellite solutions. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, the company is focused on creating a constellation of low-cost, low-Earth orbiting satellites designed to enhance navigation for various applications, including autonomous vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and mobile robotics. Their flagship product, the Xona Pulsar, delivers high-power signals from low Earth orbit, ensuring secure and accurate navigation and timing services. This innovative approach aims to meet the demands of smart transportation and smart infrastructure, providing the resilience and precision necessary for modern intelligent systems to operate safely and efficiently at scale.

Atomic Industries

Seed Round in 2021
Atomic Industries is a computational manufacturing company building an AI-powered tool and die maker.

Third Wave Automation

Series B in 2021
Third Wave Automation, Inc. specializes in developing autonomous forklift technology that leverages machine learning and computer vision to enhance material handling. Founded in 2018 and based in Union City, California, the company has created a Shared Autonomy Platform that allows forklifts to perform intricate tasks under the supervision of human operators, who can intervene as necessary. This approach improves safety and operational efficiency within warehouses and supply chains. By integrating advanced robotics and deep learning, Third Wave Automation's solutions facilitate precise automated movement of materials and adapt to varying warehouse configurations and demands, thereby enhancing overall throughput and effectiveness in logistics operations.

Realtime Robotics

Series A in 2021
Realtime Robotics, Inc. is focused on developing advanced motion planning and control processors that enable robots and autonomous vehicles to react instantaneously to their surroundings. Founded in 2016 and based in Boston, Massachusetts, the company offers a collision-free motion planning platform that allows for safe operation of single or multiple robots in unstructured environments. Their specialized RapidPlan processor generates safe motion plans in microseconds, effectively eliminating the trade-off between speed and safety in automation. This innovative technology accommodates real-time changes in dynamic environments, enabling robots to navigate around both known static objects and other moving entities while performing various tasks. By addressing the limitations of traditional automation, Realtime Robotics is broadening the applications of robotics across industries and facilitating the adoption of autonomous vehicles.

Pickle Robot

Seed Round in 2021
Pickle Robot Company, founded in 2018 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, develops an innovative package handling robot designed to automate critical tasks in the e-commerce supply chain. The company's first robot, named Dill, addresses the physically demanding nature of package handling, which often results in high employee turnover. Dill is capable of performing multiple shifts and effectively communicates with human workers, continuously developing new skills to enhance operations. The robot's capabilities include loading and unloading feeder trucks, palletizing and depalletizing mixed parcels, preloading last-mile delivery vehicles, and sorting packages. By automating these processes, Pickle Robot aims to help logistics companies reduce labor costs and increase efficiency, addressing a significant bottleneck in the rapidly growing e-commerce sector.

SummerBio

Venture Round in 2020
SummerBio LLC is an automation-based diagnostics company focused on providing COVID-19 testing services. Established in 2020 and based in Menlo Park, California, the company operates a CLIA-certified laboratory that utilizes a comprehensive, automated COVID-19 testing system. This system is designed to enhance the efficiency of the gold-standard RT-qPCR testing regimen by using advanced robotics, automated liquid handling, and innovative sample collection kits. By streamlining the testing process, SummerBio aims to deliver rapid, affordable, and high-volume testing solutions, ensuring that healthcare professionals and patients receive test results within a day.

Chef Jasper

Seed Round in 2020
Chef Jasper is a Montreal-based startup specializing in food robotics, focused on making gourmet food more accessible through innovative technology. The company manufactures robotic workstations that utilize artificial intelligence and computer vision to automate cooking processes. By employing articulating robotic arms, Chef Jasper's food kiosks can prepare a diverse range of dishes using fresh ingredients, ensuring both consistency and quality. These automated kitchens serve restaurants and arenas, offering a low-cost solution for gourmet meal preparation. Founded in 2016, Chef Jasper aims to revolutionize the culinary landscape by integrating small-scale robotic automation into food service.

Elementary Robotics

Series A in 2020
Elementary Robotics, Inc. specializes in manufacturing robots designed to assist humans in various industries, including electronics, automotive, medical, and consumer packaged goods. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Pasadena, California, with additional offices in Mexico and Chicago, the company focuses on automating quality assurance and traceability processes in AI-assisted manufacturing. Its robots are equipped with advanced software, deep learning AI, and camera systems to capture visual data, enabling real-time decision-making and enhancing the efficiency of production lines. By integrating machine learning and computer vision, Elementary Robotics aims to create intelligent automation solutions that improve productivity and streamline workflows in manufacturing and logistics.

Third Wave Automation

Series A in 2020
Third Wave Automation, Inc. specializes in developing autonomous forklift technology that leverages machine learning and computer vision to enhance material handling. Founded in 2018 and based in Union City, California, the company has created a Shared Autonomy Platform that allows forklifts to perform intricate tasks under the supervision of human operators, who can intervene as necessary. This approach improves safety and operational efficiency within warehouses and supply chains. By integrating advanced robotics and deep learning, Third Wave Automation's solutions facilitate precise automated movement of materials and adapt to varying warehouse configurations and demands, thereby enhancing overall throughput and effectiveness in logistics operations.

SLAMcore

Funding Round in 2020
SLAMcore Limited specializes in developing simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) solutions tailored for various applications, including robotics, augmented reality, and autonomous vehicles. Founded in 2016 and based in London, the company has created advanced SLAM software that enables robots and devices equipped with outward-facing sensors to understand and navigate unfamiliar environments. Their technology includes Visual SLAM, sensor fusion, and Event Camera SLAM, which collectively enhance real-time spatial understanding. By fusing data from multiple sensors, SLAMcore's platform utilizes computer vision and machine learning to improve the efficiency and accuracy of robotic systems. The company offers a software development kit (SDK) that facilitates rapid prototyping for commercial products, allowing for customization on standard computing platforms. Through partnerships with original equipment manufacturers, SLAMcore aims to integrate its core technology into everyday products, making spatial intelligence more accessible and practical in various industries.

Intuition Robotics

Series B in 2020
Intuition Robotics Ltd. is a company based in Ramat Gan, Israel, founded in 2015. It specializes in designing and developing artificial intelligence-based social companion technologies aimed at improving the quality of life for older adults. The company’s technology includes robots that facilitate seamless connections between older individuals and their family and friends, making technology more accessible and user-friendly. By employing proprietary algorithms, Intuition Robotics' digital companions proactively engage users, helping to address challenges such as loneliness, social isolation, and health issues. The company’s focus is on enabling older adults to maintain their independence for longer periods while promoting an active lifestyle.

Bumblebee Spaces

Series A in 2019
Bumblebee Spaces Inc. is a San Francisco-based company that specializes in manufacturing robotics and artificial intelligence-driven home furnishings. Founded in 2017, the company has developed an innovative modular ceiling system designed to optimize storage solutions for modern living. By utilizing robotic technology, Bumblebee Spaces creates movable furniture and possessions that can be easily operated through user commands. The company also offers the Bumblebee app, which enables users to manage and visualize their stored items. Through its advanced systems, Bumblebee Spaces reimagines living spaces by maximizing usable cubic footage and allowing for efficient storage and retrieval of objects, thereby enhancing everyday life.

Realtime Robotics

Series A in 2019
Realtime Robotics, Inc. is focused on developing advanced motion planning and control processors that enable robots and autonomous vehicles to react instantaneously to their surroundings. Founded in 2016 and based in Boston, Massachusetts, the company offers a collision-free motion planning platform that allows for safe operation of single or multiple robots in unstructured environments. Their specialized RapidPlan processor generates safe motion plans in microseconds, effectively eliminating the trade-off between speed and safety in automation. This innovative technology accommodates real-time changes in dynamic environments, enabling robots to navigate around both known static objects and other moving entities while performing various tasks. By addressing the limitations of traditional automation, Realtime Robotics is broadening the applications of robotics across industries and facilitating the adoption of autonomous vehicles.

Freedom Robotics

Seed Round in 2019
Freedom Robotics, Inc. is a software company that provides essential infrastructure for modern robotics companies, enabling them to build, operate, support, and scale robotic systems and fleets. Founded in 2018 and based in San Francisco, California, the company develops powerful control and monitoring software tailored for robotic applications. Its platform is designed for easy integration and customization through an API, allowing businesses to manage fleets of robots from various devices, including desktops and smartphones. Freedom Robotics focuses on streamlining the deployment and automation of diverse robotic fleets, facilitating the market entry of robotics companies with minimal resource investment.

Elementary Robotics

Seed Round in 2018
Elementary Robotics, Inc. specializes in manufacturing robots designed to assist humans in various industries, including electronics, automotive, medical, and consumer packaged goods. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Pasadena, California, with additional offices in Mexico and Chicago, the company focuses on automating quality assurance and traceability processes in AI-assisted manufacturing. Its robots are equipped with advanced software, deep learning AI, and camera systems to capture visual data, enabling real-time decision-making and enhancing the efficiency of production lines. By integrating machine learning and computer vision, Elementary Robotics aims to create intelligent automation solutions that improve productivity and streamline workflows in manufacturing and logistics.

SLAMcore

Seed Round in 2018
SLAMcore Limited specializes in developing simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) solutions tailored for various applications, including robotics, augmented reality, and autonomous vehicles. Founded in 2016 and based in London, the company has created advanced SLAM software that enables robots and devices equipped with outward-facing sensors to understand and navigate unfamiliar environments. Their technology includes Visual SLAM, sensor fusion, and Event Camera SLAM, which collectively enhance real-time spatial understanding. By fusing data from multiple sensors, SLAMcore's platform utilizes computer vision and machine learning to improve the efficiency and accuracy of robotic systems. The company offers a software development kit (SDK) that facilitates rapid prototyping for commercial products, allowing for customization on standard computing platforms. Through partnerships with original equipment manufacturers, SLAMcore aims to integrate its core technology into everyday products, making spatial intelligence more accessible and practical in various industries.

Embodied

Series A in 2018
Embodied, Inc. is a robotics company based in Pasadena, California, established in 2016. It specializes in the development of personal companion robots, notably Moxie, which is designed to engage children in social, emotional, and cognitive development through play-based learning. The company integrates extensive research from the University of Southern California in socially assistive robotics with commercial expertise from the consumer robotics sector. Embodied's mission is to enhance the quality of life for individuals and families by creating interactive, life-like robots that serve as motivators, coaches, and companions, ultimately empowering users to improve their own well-being.

Blackmore Sensors and Analytics

Series B in 2018
Blackmore Sensors and Analytics Inc., established in 2016 and based in Bozeman, Montana, specializes in frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) lidar technology and associated analytic tools. The company focuses on measuring radial velocity for every data point, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of lidar imaging. As of May 2019, Blackmore operates as a subsidiary of Aurora Innovation, Inc., expanding its capabilities within the autonomous vehicle and sensor technology sectors.

Realtime Robotics

Seed Round in 2017
Realtime Robotics, Inc. is focused on developing advanced motion planning and control processors that enable robots and autonomous vehicles to react instantaneously to their surroundings. Founded in 2016 and based in Boston, Massachusetts, the company offers a collision-free motion planning platform that allows for safe operation of single or multiple robots in unstructured environments. Their specialized RapidPlan processor generates safe motion plans in microseconds, effectively eliminating the trade-off between speed and safety in automation. This innovative technology accommodates real-time changes in dynamic environments, enabling robots to navigate around both known static objects and other moving entities while performing various tasks. By addressing the limitations of traditional automation, Realtime Robotics is broadening the applications of robotics across industries and facilitating the adoption of autonomous vehicles.

Intuition Robotics

Series A in 2017
Intuition Robotics Ltd. is a company based in Ramat Gan, Israel, founded in 2015. It specializes in designing and developing artificial intelligence-based social companion technologies aimed at improving the quality of life for older adults. The company’s technology includes robots that facilitate seamless connections between older individuals and their family and friends, making technology more accessible and user-friendly. By employing proprietary algorithms, Intuition Robotics' digital companions proactively engage users, helping to address challenges such as loneliness, social isolation, and health issues. The company’s focus is on enabling older adults to maintain their independence for longer periods while promoting an active lifestyle.
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