Robotics entrepreneurs interested in participating in the call for innovation can apply online, and can see members of the Toyota AI Ventures team in person at the following events:
- Sept. 26, 2018 at RoboBusiness 2018 in Santa Clara, Calif.
- Oct. 1, 2018 at Austin Startup Week in Austin, Texas
- Oct. 9, 2018 at Investing in Robotics Innovation co-hosted by Innovation Works in Pittsburgh, Penn.
- Oct. 10, 2018 at IEEE’s Robotics and Automation Society meeting hosted by TRI in Cambridge, Mass.
“One of the main goals of the call is to spur innovation by identifying key problems startups can help solve, and we’re looking forward to visiting regional startup hubs to spread the word about this opportunity” said Jim Adler, managing director of Toyota AI Ventures. “We’ll also be hosting office hours to spend time with local entrepreneurs and learn about the solutions they’re developing.”
The first call focuses on finding and funding robotics startups that are developing mobile manipulation technologies that can improve assistive robots to help people in and around the home. Toyota AI Ventures is looking to invest between $500,000 and $2 million in one or more qualified startups. Eligibility criteria and guidelines are available on the Toyota AI Ventures website. Applications are currently being accepted online, and the deadline to apply is Oct. 31, 2018.
Toyota AI Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital subsidiary of Toyota Research Institute (TRI) that invests in promising startups from around the world. The fund focuses on companies developing solutions in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, autonomous mobility, data, and cloud technology that share its mission of improving the quality of human life through AI. For more information about Toyota AI Ventures, please visit www.toyota-ai.ventures.
About Toyota Research Institute
Toyota Research Institute is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor North America under the direction of Dr. Gill Pratt. The company, established in 2015, aims to strengthen Toyota’s research structure and has four initial mandates: 1) enhance the safety of automobiles, 2) increase access to cars to those who otherwise cannot drive, 3) translate Toyota’s expertise in creating products for outdoor mobility into products for indoor mobility, and 4) accelerate scientific discovery by applying techniques from artificial intelligence and machine learning. TRI is based in the United States, with offices in Los Altos, Calif., Cambridge, Mass., and Ann Arbor, Mich. For more information about TRI, please visit www.tri.global.
