Naver D2SF announced on the 10th that it has made new investments in physical artificial intelligence (AI) startups Chameleon and Anywhere Robotics, companies focused on solving real-world operational challenges.
Both teams are robotics startups concentrating on sites with high automation demand. Naver D2SF decided to invest after recognizing their potential to prove the value of physical AI from product and business perspectives.
Chameleon is developing robots specialized for housekeeping operations in North American hotels. The North American hotel industry currently faces severe labor shortages and rising labor costs, driving strong demand for robot adoption. While robots for delivery and concierge services have been spreading to address these challenges, commercial solutions for housekeeping remained limited due to complex tasks and high quality standards. Chameleon has designed a humanoid robot capable of performing comprehensive housekeeping duties, from bathroom cleaning to general room maintenance. Its key advantage is operating independently of network or hotel environment constraints, allowing easy deployment in the field.
Chameleon has secured potential customers in the United States and China. The company plans to develop a prototype specialized for bathroom cleaning in the second quarter of this year and begin field testing. It will subsequently expand into broader housekeeping operations. Founded in 2024, Chameleon received its first investment from Naver D2SF. The founding team comprises professionals with extensive robotics development and commercialization experience at Tesla, Apple, Meta, and Bear Robotics, spanning computer vision, robot control, and teleoperation.
Anywhere Robotics has developed robots that automate high-intensity logistics operations. Logistics sites involve demanding tasks such as truck unloading, pallet stacking, and package handling, with high injury risks that drive strong demand for robotic automation. However, the high variability of work methods has made standardization difficult, resulting in few solutions that deliver results in actual field conditions. Anywhere Robotics achieved performance capable of replacing high-intensity labor by optimizing work speed and range through real data-based training.
Anywhere Robotics has proven its product competitiveness in the field through partnerships with global robotics company FANUC and Saddle Creek. Founded in 2023, the company's co-founders bring expertise in mechanical engineering and imitation learning, with robotics commercialization and field operation experience at FANUC, Boston Dynamics, and Amazon Robotics.
"Chameleon and Anywhere Robotics are robotics startups focusing on sites with high automation demand, and they will demonstrate the value of physical AI by solving real-world problems," said Yang Sang-hwan, Head of Naver D2SF. "We expect them to quickly accumulate successful experiences and know-how through their startup advantages and establish competitive edges in their respective industries."
Naver D2SF plans to continue active investment across all stages of physical AI, including perception, computation, and control. Clobot, a Naver D2SF portfolio company, became the first robotics software company to list on KOSDAQ and is leading Korea's robotics industry. Summer Robotics, a recent investment, is recognized for innovating high-speed manufacturing processes by developing vision sensors that serve as robots' "eyes."