Key Takeaways
- • Amulya Vishwanath, founder and managing partner of Techable Ventures, told TechCrunch's Equity that physical AI is in a "LEGO era," with foundational robotics building blocks still being developed.
- • Vishwanath described physical AI as approaching a "ChatGPT moment" for robotics, though she said the industry has not yet reached that stage.
- • Vishwanath, who spent nearly seven years as a product marketer at Nvidia, positions talent access as a core "moat" for Techable Ventures, a VC firm focused on physical AI.
- • Vishwanath said talent is a key factor in the U.S. market, with top engineers increasingly drawn to large companies such as Anthropic and Nvidia.
Summary
Amulya Vishwanath, founder and managing partner of Techable Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on physical AI, discussed the sector's outlook with TechCrunch's Equity. According to TechCrunch, Vishwanath started Techable Ventures after nearly seven years as a product marketer at Nvidia. Earlier in her career she held a similar role at a company later acquired by Intel and worked as a digital signal processing engineer at Interconnect Systems, which was later bought by electronics manufacturer Molex.
Vishwanath said many companies and experts have described physical AI as approaching a "ChatGPT moment" for robotics, but she characterized the industry as still in a "LEGO era." She said foundational software and building blocks for robotics are being rethought now, which she called essential for innovation to scale. Current work focuses on basic components such as robotic hands and actuators, which she expects will eventually combine into more advanced systems. She noted that general-purpose and special-purpose robots are both under development. She drew parallels to the internet era and the Industrial Revolution, saying she expects progress to follow over time.
Vishwanath identified talent as a critical factor, particularly in the U.S. market, where she said large companies such as Anthropic and Nvidia are attracting significant numbers of engineers. She described access to talent as one of her firm's competitive advantages, saying Techable Ventures uses its network to connect founders with skilled hires. She said this positions the firm to be a first call for founders in the space.
Vishwanath said many companies and experts have described physical AI as approaching a "ChatGPT moment" for robotics, but she characterized the industry as still in a "LEGO era." She said foundational software and building blocks for robotics are being rethought now, which she called essential for innovation to scale. Current work focuses on basic components such as robotic hands and actuators, which she expects will eventually combine into more advanced systems. She noted that general-purpose and special-purpose robots are both under development. She drew parallels to the internet era and the Industrial Revolution, saying she expects progress to follow over time.
Vishwanath identified talent as a critical factor, particularly in the U.S. market, where she said large companies such as Anthropic and Nvidia are attracting significant numbers of engineers. She described access to talent as one of her firm's competitive advantages, saying Techable Ventures uses its network to connect founders with skilled hires. She said this positions the firm to be a first call for founders in the space.
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