Robotics' 'Lego Era'
Amulya Vishwanath, who previously led product marketing for NVIDIA’s robotics platforms for seven years, characterizes the current state of robotics as its “Lego era.” She suggests that fundamental components like actuators, robotic hands, software, and safety standards are still under development and being refined.
This perspective contrasts with the belief that robotics, driven by a general foundation model, is on the verge of its own “ChatGPT moment.” Some industry figures, like General Intuition CEO Pim de Witte, have suggested that a single general foundation model could render much of today’s specialized robotics work obsolete.
Techable VC's Investment Focus
Vishwanath, now the founder and managing partner of Techable VC, shared her insights on the TechCrunch Equity podcast. As one of the first women executives to launch an early-stage firm after spinning out of Nvidia, she focuses her investments on physical AI across robotics, materials science, and life sciences.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
Defining Physical AI
Vishwanath defines physical AI broadly, extending beyond traditional robots to include "a molecule, a material, a medicine," or even a machine on a factory line, emphasizing its diverse applications.
• What she means by “conscious automation.”
• Why the best opportunities solve big problems like family-run factories that can’t find workers to surgeons facing burnout.
• Why she wants founders to see their VC as their moat, and how years at NVIDIA built the network she now uses for due diligence and customer introductions.
• Where she thinks the U.S. and China each have the edge, and why humanoids should be good for more than dancing.
