Mecka AI nears $500M valuation in Sequoia-led deal amid rush for robot training data. On September 11, 2026 The round for the two-year-old startup is coming together months after Mecka announced its Series A.

Mecka AI nears $500M valuation in Sequoia-led deal amid rush for robot training data. The round for the two-year-old startup is coming together months after Mecka announced its Series A. Mecka AI, a startup that collects and analyzes human motion data to train humanoid robots and other robotics, is nearing a new round led by Sequoia Capital at a valuation of about $500 million, according to two people with knowledge of the deal. The new financing comes just three months after Mecka announced that it raised $60 million in a round led by Framework Ventures that included participation from Menlo Ventures, SV Angel, and Kindred Ventures. TechCrunch has not learned the precise size of the new round. The terms of the deal are not final and could still change. Mecka AI didn't respond to a request for comment. Sequoia declined to comment. Mecka AI was co-founded in 2024 by four entrepreneurs, including Canadians Josh Gao and Mogen Cheng, who previously built a restaurant fintech startup, and Jason Chong, who joined Coinbase after it acquired his crypto exchange. Duy Nguyen, the only non-Canadian on the team, focuses on operations at Mecka. The four co-founders don't have backgrounds in robotics. But they did recognize that there was a dearth of physical-world data and realized that capturing real-world interactions was the primary bottleneck holding back general-purpose robots, including humanoids. Mecka, which derives its name from "mecha," a fictional giant robot controlled by humans, set out to do for robotics what Scale AI, Mercor, Surge, and other human data companies have done for LLMs. The startup pays people to record themselves performing everyday tasks - like making coffee or fixing cars - using body sensors and smartphones. As of early June, Mecka was projecting that it would end 2026 at an annual run rate of $100 million, Gao told Fortune when the startup announced its previous fundraise. While Mecka AI hasn't publicly disclosed its customer list, many robotics companies and AI labs rely on real-world data captured through this "egocentric" approach, alongside other physical data collection methods like teleoperation, to build their models. Other startups collecting real-world data for robot training include XDOF, which TechCrunch reported last week was nearing a new round at a $1.2 billion valuation, as well as human-data platforms expanding beyond LLMs, such as Scale AI and Micro1.

XDOF emerges from stealth mode: in talks for Series B funding at $1.2B valuation. September 5, 2026 XDOF, a startup specializing in collecting real-world teleoperation data to train general-purpose robots, is in talks to raise a Series B round at a valuation of approximately $1.2 billion. The company has gained remarkable traction in a mere three months since emerging from stealth mode, supported by a previous Series A funding of $70 million. Co-founded in 2024 by UC Berkeley researchers Philipp Wu (CEO) and Fred Shentu (CTO), XDOF is backed by prominent investors including 8VC, Thrive Capital, and Andreessen Horowitz. The rapid growth of XDOF, with projected annual revenues nearing $50 million, has led venture capitalists to initiate discussions for additional funding much sooner than anticipated. XDOF's mission is to develop the data pipelines and tools necessary for robotics companies and AI labs, essentially serving as an outsourced data supply chain for the industry. Wu's initial research challenges regarding data availability for robot training inspired the creation of XDOF. He collaborated with Shentu on a project called GELLO, which uses remote control to move robotic arms for generating training data. The startup plans to launch a significant dataset known as ABC, believed to be the largest collection of high-quality robot training data. Through teleoperation and human sensor-operated collectors performing daily tasks, XDOF aims to overcome the data scarcity previously hampering advancements in robotics. The company is set to expand its workforce across the globe, focusing on hiring and training data collectors, including teleoperators and egocentric operators. Currently, XDOF boasts a client base of 20 companies, including leading AI laboratories, and remains competitive against other data collection startups such as Mecka AI and Scale AI. For more details, visit the relevant links: Discover the pinnacle of WordPress auto blogging technology with AutomationTools.AI. Harnessing the power of cutting-edge AI algorithms, AutomationTools.AI emerges as the foremost solution for effortlessly curating content from RSS feeds directly to your WordPress platform. Say goodbye to manual content curation and hello to seamless automation, as this innovative tool streamlines the process, saving you time and effort. Stay ahead of the curve in content management and elevate your WordPress website with AutomationTools.AI - the ultimate choice for efficient, dynamic, and hassle-free auto blogging. Learn More