Amulya Vishwanath, founder and managing partner of Techable Ventures, told TechCrunch’s Equity that robotics has not yet reached a "ChatGPT moment"; instead, the sector is in a foundational "LEGO era." Techable Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on physical AI — AI systems that operate in the physical world using sensors and actuators.
Vishwanath spent nearly seven years as a product marketer at Nvidia. Before that, she held the same role at a company later acquired by Intel, and she worked as a digital signal processing engineer at Interconnect Systems, which was subsequently bought by Molex. She launched her investment firm based on this industry experience.
Why a "LEGO era"?
According to Vishwanath, many companies and engineers are currently building the basic hardware and software building blocks for robotics: robotic hands, actuators, sensors, and the software that controls these modules. Those components may eventually be combined into larger, integrated systems — much like LEGO pieces forming a complex model.
"A lot of foundational software and building blocks for robotics are being rethought right now, and that is critical for innovation to scale," Vishwanath said. She compared the process to earlier technological shifts such as the internet era and the Industrial Revolution, arguing that the ecosystem is gradually coming together and it is only a matter of time before a breakthrough occurs.
Talent is critical
Vishwanath emphasized that attracting and retaining talent will be decisive for the physical AI market. Many skilled professionals are being drawn to large technology companies, including Anthropic and Nvidia, giving those firms an advantage in the race for expertise. One of Techable Ventures’ competitive strengths, she said, is her network, which helps connect founders with top talent.
"That makes it a lot easier for me to be the first call for founders," she said, referring to how her industry contacts and experience can support early-stage startups.
Next steps
Vishwanath believes the next phase will focus on maturing these foundational components and expanding the talent pool; once those pieces are in place, robotic systems should enable broader and more robust applications. With continued investment and ecosystem development, she expects the sector will eventually achieve a transformative moment akin to ChatGPT for generative AI.
(Comments based on an interview on TechCrunch’s Equity.)
