9 Robotics Startups Get AI Tools to Build Smarter Machines

Robots that can think and adapt in the real world are about to get a major upgrade, thanks to a new wave of support for the startups building them.

MassRobotics just announced nine startups selected for its second Physical AI Fellowship, a program designed to help young companies transform promising robot prototypes into machines ready for farms, factories, and stores. The fellowship partners Amazon Web Services and NVIDIA are providing the tools, funding, and expertise these teams need to scale up fast.

The selected startups span the globe, from Philadelphia to Tokyo, and tackle diverse challenges. Burro builds autonomous robots that follow farmworkers through fields. Luminous Robotics created machines that lift heavy solar panels so human workers don't have to. Terra Robotics developed laser-weeding technology to help farmers reduce chemical use and manual labor.

Other cohort members are pushing boundaries in retail and manufacturing. Telexistence already operates robots in Japanese convenience stores and is now deploying humanoid robots powered by vision-language-action AI. Deltia.ai turns ordinary shop-floor cameras into intelligence systems that track workflows and boost productivity by up to 40%.

Each startup receives $200,000 in AWS cloud credits, access to NVIDIA's AI infrastructure and training programs, and direct support from embedded engineers and scientists. They also get workspace at MassRobotics facilities in Boston for testing and prototyping.

"We're excited to launch our second Physical AI Fellowship cohort and continue working alongside industry leaders like AWS and NVIDIA to help startups scale real-world physical AI solutions," said Tom Ryden, MassRobotics executive director.

The program addresses a critical gap. These startups have innovative ideas but often lack the computing power, technical guidance, and industry connections needed to move from lab experiments to commercial products that enterprises will actually buy and deploy.

The Ripple Effect

This fellowship represents more than just support for nine companies. It's accelerating the arrival of intelligent machines that can make dangerous jobs safer, tedious work less exhausting, and labor-intensive industries more efficient.

The robots these startups are building could help farmers grow food with fewer chemicals, speed up renewable energy installations, and free retail workers from repetitive stocking tasks. As these technologies mature and scale, they have the potential to transform how physical work gets done across entire industries.

Jason Bennett, AWS vice president and global head of startups, emphasized the program's hands-on approach. "This fellowship is designed to remove technical and resource barriers that slow innovation by embedding our scientists and engineers directly with cohort companies," he said.

The first cohort launched in fall 2025, and this expanded second round demonstrates growing momentum in the physical AI space.

These nine teams will showcase their progress at the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston this May, where they'll connect with potential customers, investors, and collaborators who can help bring their innovations to more workplaces worldwide.