Robot data startup Mecka AI nabs $60M from Sequoia

Mecka AI, a startup that collects and analyzes human motion data to train humanoid robots and other kinds of robots, announced it has raised a $60 million Series B round led by Sequoia, with participation from Nvidia, Microsoft's venture fund M12, and others. TechCrunch had previously reported that the startup was nearing a new funding round at a $500 million valuation. Founded in 2024, the startup intends to do for robotics what Scale AI, Mercor, Surge, and other data-labeling companies have done for LLMs. Those companies supply the human-generated data these systems learn from. Mecka pays people to record themselves doing everyday tasks, like making coffee or fixing cars, while wearing body sensors and using smartphones.