As "physical AI"—artificial intelligence embedded in physical devices such as robots and automobiles—emerges as a future growth driver for industry, investments in startups with promising technologies are surging. Naver, positioning itself as a startup incubator to discover the next unicorns (startups valued at 1 trillion won or more), is providing comprehensive support to promising domestic and international startups, focusing on securing future business partners beyond simple investment.
According to industry sources on the 11th, Naver's startup development organization D2SF has invested in a total of 123 startups since its launch in 2015. While investments initially concentrated on software-based technology companies in areas such as AI and IT solutions, the organization has recently been actively seeking out companies operating technology businesses based on physical devices, such as industrial robots.
Physical AI startups "Chameleon" and "Anywhere Robotics," which received D2SF investment this month, are developing task-performing robots that replace human labor. Chameleon has designed humanoid robots capable of performing general housekeeping duties including bathroom cleaning, targeting the U.S. hotel market where labor costs are high. Anywhere Robotics has introduced robots that automatically perform high-intensity tasks in logistics facilities, achieving performance capable of completely replacing injury-prone work through real-data-based learning.
Previously, Naver D2SF invested in "Suma Robotics," a vision sensor developer that serves as robots' "eyes," in October last year, continuing sustained investment across the physical AI industry.
These investments are yielding tangible results beyond simple financial support. "Clova Robotics," an intelligent robot service company that received Naver's investment in 2018, became the first robot software company to list on KOSDAQ in 2024. The company is leading the industrial robot market by advancing its services based on general-purpose indoor autonomous driving solutions and supplying autonomous cleaning robots to POSCO E&C. "Safetics," a robot safety specialist that received investment in 2020, plans to supply its software "Safety Designer" to the Asian market this year through a partnership with Taiwanese industrial robot company Nexcobot.
Naver's decision to serve as an accelerator for physical AI startups is closely aligned with its future strategy. Having identified robotics as a future growth engine early on, Naver has devoted years to advancing its technology.
Hundreds of autonomous robots already roam Naver's second headquarters "1784," delivering coffee and lunch boxes to employees throughout the building. The entire facility serves as a massive "laboratory" for directly demonstrating and validating Naver's robot technology. The company also plans to introduce its autonomous delivery robot "Rookie 2" to Saudi Arabia's futuristic new city, which has emerged as Naver's new global hub. In this context, the numerous startups nurtured by D2SF are expected to become reliable allies as Naver secures new technologies.
An industry insider noted, "The startups discovered by Naver D2SF will establish a core technology cooperation framework that goes beyond simple investments, providing support when Naver competes with global big tech companies in the future."
