Chip startup SiMa.ai lands $85 mn to power AI robots, autonomous cars

SiMa.ai raises $85 million to expand its physical AI platform and support the robotics, automotive, and industrial markets with specialized chips and software

SiMa.ai closed an $85 million funding round to advance its hardware and software solutions for physical artificial intelligence applications, the company announced on Friday.

 

The oversubscribed round, led by Maverick Capital with participation from existing backers and new investor StepStone Group, brings the startup’s total funding to $355 million since its inception. The company declined to disclose its valuation following this funding round.

 

“We're scaling quickly to extend our competitive lead and meet global customer demand across robotics, automotive, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, smart vision, and healthcare,” said Krishna Rangasayee, founder and chief executive officer at SiMa.ai.

 

The company plans to use the capital to expand internationally and scale its physical AI platform, which combines specialized chips with software to power autonomous systems. The funding will support increased software development, sales operations, customer support, and automotive market initiatives. 

 

Physical AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that interact with the physical world through sensors, cameras, and other hardware. This rapidly growing market is attracting companies looking to deploy AI in manufacturing, transportation, and robotics applications.

 

"SiMa is redefining what's possible at the edge by combining world-class silicon with a uniquely software-centric approach to Physical AI," said Andrew Homan, managing partner at Maverick Capital.

 

SiMa competes in the specialized semiconductor market for AI applications, where companies are developing chips optimized for specific AI workloads, rather than general-purpose computing.

 

By addressing the full system problem on a single chip and pairing it with a software stack optimized for developer experience, SiMa.ai said it is poised to lead the next wave of Physical AI innovation.

 

“As generative AI transforms the data center landscape, we see immense opportunity in the next phase of innovation—AI at the edge,” said John Avirett, partner at StepStone Group.