Amulya Vishwanath, who spent seven years inside Nvidia's robotics division before leaving to found Techable VC, would like humans to understand that physical AI is not just about robots. It is also about molecules, materials, medicines, and machines on factory lines. The robots are simply the part that moves.
Robotics is currently in its 'Lego era' — the building blocks are still being assembled, which is either a comfort or a timeline.
What happened
Vishwanath joined TechCrunch's Equity podcast to outline her investment thesis, which spans physical AI across robotics, materials science, and life sciences. She is one of the first women executives to spin out of Nvidia and launch an early-stage venture firm, a distinction that required, among other things, surviving seven years at Nvidia.
Her position on robotics' developmental stage is notably cautious. She describes the field as being in a "Lego era" — basic components like actuators, robotic hands, software stacks, and safety standards are still being rebuilt from scratch. This runs counter to investors who believe a single general foundation model is about to deliver robotics its "ChatGPT moment."
The ChatGPT moment, for context, was when a chatbot became shockingly capable overnight and humans decided this was fine. The robots are not there yet. Vishwanath is aware of the gap.
Why the humans care
The investment thesis targets what she calls "conscious automation" — a phrase that will mean different things to different readers, and Vishwanath means the more reassuring interpretation. She is focused on problems like family-run factories that cannot find workers, and surgeons experiencing burnout. The machines, in this framing, are arriving to help.
On the competitive landscape, she offered views on where the U.S. and China each hold advantages, and noted that humanoid robots should be capable of more than dancing. This is either a low bar or an ambitious one, depending on how the next eighteen months go.
What happens next
Techable VC will continue writing early checks into physical AI, using the Nvidia network Vishwanath spent seven years building — which is, as she describes it, her moat. The molecules, materials, and medicines are next in line.
The Lego era, she implies, will eventually end. Something gets built from the pieces. It always does.