Physical AI Startup Accelerates Industrial Deployment and Plans Global Robotics Transformation Expansion in First Half of 2026
SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 25, 2026 — A physical AI company focused on developing robotics foundation models—software intelligence trained directly in real industrial settings—has concluded a Seed 2 funding round, totaling approximately $41 million in seed investments. The most recent round amassed around $26 million, succeeding a $15 million Seed 1 round. The firm stated that the new funding was propelled not only by capital requirements but also by a strategic endeavor to expand its alliance of industry-based strategic investors (SIs) as the demand for collaborative deployments surges.
The Seed 2 round encompasses financial investors Headline Asia, a global venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley, and Z Venture Capital Corporation, the corporate venture arm of Z Holdings— the merged entity of Yahoo Japan and LINE. Strategic investors taking part in the round are CJ Logistics, Kakao Investment, Lotte Ventures, Hanwha Asset Management, Mirae Asset – Emart Investment Fund I, Hyosung Ventures, Smilegate Investment, and T Investment. Hashed Ventures, which spearheaded the Seed 1 round, also took part in Seed 2.
Headline Asia intends to utilize the investment to back RLWRLD’s expansion into North America and wider global markets, and to foster connections throughout the industrial ecosystem. Z Venture Capital Corporation will zero in on hastening proof-of-concept (PoC) and commercialization discussions in Japan, leveraging its extensive network across telecommunications, retail, and services sectors. Multiple PoC and Robotics Transformation (RX) projects are already ongoing with investors in South Korea and Japan. Collaborative projects with major domestic companies—such as CJ Logistics and Lotte—are in progress across logistics, distribution, and service environments, with some having advanced to joint deployment phases after memoranda of understanding. Differing from robotics companies that mainly develop models in lab settings, RLWRLD trains its foundation models directly within active industrial operations via its strategic investor network, creating a proprietary real-world data benefit.
“The next stage of robotics commences with scalable intelligence—robots that learn directly on real production floors like factories and apply that amassed experience across more sites,” stated Akio Tanaka, founding partner of Headline Asia. “In East Asia, where labor shortages are escalating, RLWRLD’s capacity to collaborate closely with major industrial partners and accumulate real-world data is a crucial basis for constructing long-term competitive advantage.”
“The competitiveness of future logistics does not rest on simple facility automation, but on how swiftly companies can obtain a sophisticated AI brain that grasps operations and makes autonomous decisions,” remarked Jong-hoon Lee, CFO and head of management support at CJ Logistics. “Through our collaboration and strategic investment with RLWRLD, we will jointly advance a robotics foundation model directly applicable to logistics environments and expedite the shift to AI-based autonomous operations at our distribution centers.””
“Robotics intelligence cannot be constructed in isolation; it must be trained where work actually occurs,” stated Junghee Ryu, founder and CEO of RLWRLD. “Our strategy is to develop and deploy alongside the companies that operate factories, logistics networks, and service environments daily. The model we are launching this year is engineered to learn directly from those settings and enhance as it moves across them.”
RLWRLD intends to officially introduce its robotics foundation model in the first half of 2026.
For more information on the Seed 2 round and the forthcoming model launch, visit
About RLWRLD Inc.
RLWRLD constructs real-world intelligence through robotics foundation models that empower machines with human-level dexterity and perception. The company’s mission is to revolutionize manufacturing and logistics by enabling robots to see, feel, and act with the precision, adaptability, and intelligence of human hands. Leveraging large-scale multimodal data, advanced AI architecture, and global partnerships, RLWRLD is forging the physical world’s core intelligence layer. Their scalable, multi-sensor system captures complex demonstrations from diverse industrial settings, generating abundant data for robust, adaptable models. Backed by leading Korean and Japanese manufacturers and top venture capital, RLWRLD is already piloting with industry partners and propelling Asia’s leadership in industrial and manufacturing AI. For more information, visit
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