March 15, 2026 — RJ Scaringe, the founder and CEO of electric vehicle maker Rivian, has launched a new robotics startup, Mind Robotics, with a distinct philosophy: industrial robots should prioritize functional hands over human-like acrobatics. The company recently closed a $500 million Series A funding round co-led by venture firms Accel and Andreessen Horowitz, bringing its total funding to $615 million and its valuation to approximately $2 billion.
A New Industrial Focus
Mind Robotics was founded by Scaringe in November 2025 as a private company separate from Rivian, though the automaker is a partner and potential future customer. The startup’s origin is tied to Rivian’s planning for its upcoming, lower-cost R2 SUV. Scaringe explained that anticipating high production volumes for the R2 necessitated planning new factories, which led to a study on the future of manufacturing.
“I broadly characterize it as there’s companies that fit into the category of existing industrial robotics companies,” Scaringe said in an interview. “And I came to the view that they’re going to continue to exist, but not be the types of companies that build robots that can do human-like tasks.”
He noted many newer robotics startups are focused on domestic tasks like folding towels, while others developing humanoid forms for industry often mimic complex human biomechanics. Scaringe argues this approach adds unnecessary cost and failure points for factory work.
The Primacy of Hands in Manufacturing
The core thesis of Mind Robotics is that in an industrial setting, the work “happens with the hands.” Scaringe contends that robotic systems designed for manufacturing should channel complexity and investment into versatile, task-specific grippers rather than replicating full human mobility.
“Everything else, from a robotic system point of view, is to get the hands to the right place,” Scaringe said. “The ability for the robots to do really complex motions… actually just means the robot has a lot of unnecessary complexity in it for the vast majority of tasks.”
He used the example of a backflip—a demonstration of agility used by some humanoid robot firms—noting that such flexibility is not required for most assembly line jobs. The goal, he said, is to minimize complexity, reduce failure modes, and lower power consumption for scalable deployment.
Designing for the Factory Floor
Scaringe pointed out that manufacturing plants present a more controlled environment than a home, with fewer variables like stairs, pets, or children. This allows for robots with a form factor optimized for specific industrial tasks rather than a one-size-fits-all humanoid shape.
“In manufacturing, to assume that the shape and form factor of a human is the optimal shape and form factor for all types of work, I think, just misses the fact that we didn’t evolve in a plant,” he said. However, he acknowledged that factories are built for human dimensions, so robots must fit that existing infrastructure and interface safely with workers.
The company is also considering robot design aesthetics. Scaringe criticized a trend toward “Terminator-like” muscular forms, suggesting a need for robots that feel approachable to human coworkers without appearing “dopey.” This philosophy echoes Rivian’s design language, which packages high capability in a friendly aesthetic.
Funding and Corporate Structure
Mind Robotics represents Scaringe’s third major venture alongside Rivian and the micromobility spin-out Also. The startup was initially conceived under the internal name “Project Synapse” before its public launch. Scaringe serves on its board alongside Jiten Behl of Eclipse Ventures, Sameer Gandhi of Accel, and a representative from Rivian.
The substantial $500 million Series A round underscores investor confidence in the industrial automation sector and Scaringe’s track record. Unlike Also, which began as an internal Rivian project, Mind Robotics was founded independently, with Rivian taking a partnership role.
Scaringe’s other companies continue to advance. Rivian is preparing to deliver its mid-sized R2 SUV, which he stated costs roughly half as much to build as the flagship R1 models. The R2 will start at $57,990. Also, the e-bike company Rivian spun out last year, launched its first products in October 2025.
For now, Scaringe indicates his entrepreneurial focus is on these three entities. When asked if he was done spinning off companies, he replied, “Probably. Yeah. I mean, yeah.”
Mind Robotics has not yet publicly revealed prototypes or a detailed product roadmap. The company’s challenge will be to deliver on its vision of simplified, hand-centric robots that can be deployed at scale in complex manufacturing environments like those Rivian itself will need for its EV ambitions.
This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.
