The global robotics venture capital (VC) funding landscape has seen cyclical investment patterns between 2018 and 2024, with the US and China emerging as dominant forces.
Together, these markets accounted for approximately 75% of global VC funding in robotics, reinforcing their leadership in driving innovation, attracting investor interest, and shaping the future of automation and intelligent systems, according to GlobalData.
Aurojyoti Bose, lead analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Both the US and China are at the forefront of robotics innovation driven by advancements in technology. As these nations continue to invest heavily in robotics, we can expect to see transformative changes across various industries alongside growing investors’ traction.
“And, as we look ahead to 2024 and beyond, the US and China are likely to remain among the key players, influencing global trends and setting the stage for the next wave of innovation in robotics.”
The global VC funding landscape in the robotics sector experienced significant fluctuations from 2018 to 2024 with investment value reaching an all-time high in 2021 followed by decline in subsequent years and a rebound again in 2024. The funding landscape faced challenges, particularly evident in 2022 and 2023 with a tougher fundraising atmosphere.
However, even though VC investments rebounded in 2024, it is still much lesser compared to 2021 levels. And same is the trend for top markets such as the US and China as well.
An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database revealed that a total of 5 983 VC were announced in the robotics space globally during 2018-2014 with the US leading the charge with 2 028 deals followed by China followed 1532 deals. This translates to a combined market share of 60% of the global deal volume, underscoring their pivotal roles in the robotics ecosystem.
Meanwhile, the total VC funding in the robotics space stood at $100,9-billion during 2018-2024 with the US seeing announcement of $49,9-billion worth of deals and China attracting investments worth of $24,4-billion. This translates to a combined market share of around 75% of the global deal value.
Bose concludes: “As robotics continues to evolve, the investment narrative is shifting towards long-term value creation and cross-sector disruption. With the US and China leading the charge, GlobalData expects sustained momentum in funding activity, paving the way for breakthroughs in intelligent automation and redefining how industries leverage robotics to achieve efficiency, resilience, and innovation.”