MassRobotics Partners With AWS and Nvidia to Accelerate Robotics Innovation
The Physical AI Fellowship launches with eight startups designing robots that can sense, act, and adapt in real-world environments
MassRobotics is partnering with Nvidia and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to launch the Physical AI Fellowship, a program designed to invest in and support robotics startups developing physical AI solutions. Eight companies have been named to the inaugural Fall 2025 cohort, all of which receive AWS credits, access to Nvidia’s hardware and software stack, along with access to MassRobotics’ facilities and tools to prototype, test, and bring their robots to life.
“Physical AI is moving intelligent machines from the lab into the real world,” Tom Ryden, MassRobotics’ executive director, remarked in a press release. “This fellowship will give robotics startups the practical support to build, validate, and scale by combining AWS’s leadership in AI, Nvidia’s accelerated computing stack, and our robotics expertise and network.”
What is Physical AI? Also known as “generative physical AI,” it’s a form of technology enabling machines to perceive, understand, and interact with the physical world using data from sensors and actuators. It has systems allowing it to adapt to complex environments and make decisions based on real-world inputs. Examples include autonomous vehicles, drones, humanoid robots, and even some smart devices in our homes.
The first batch of startups in the Physical AI Fellowship includes:
Bedrock Robotics: A startup founded in 2024, developing intelligent autonomous technology systems for the construction industry
Blue Water Autonomy: Also founded in 2024, this Boston-based startup is building autonomous naval ships for the U.S. Navy, focused on long-range operations and maritime security
Diligent Robotics: A self-described “human-centered” robot company, Diligent Robotics is building machines for healthcare, starting with Moxi. This mobile manipulator has made over one million deliveries to date.
Generalist AI: Founded by former DeepMind researcher Pete Florence, this startup aims to create general-purpose robots through improved dexterity and other innovations
RobCo: A robot-as-a-service company, RobCo was founded in 2020 in Munich, Germany. Its mission is to make industrial automation more accessible, affordable, and adaptable. Earlier this month, it expanded to the U.S. through its acquisition of Rapid Robotics.
Tutor Intelligence: This startup is building robots to serve contract packagers, manufacturers, and third-party logistics providers. It claims its machines can reduce operating labor expenses by up to 40 percent.
Wandercraft: Unlike its peers, Wandercraft aims to develop mobility devices, specifically AI-powered personal exoskeletons, to assist individuals with spinal cord injuries, stroke, and other neuromuscular disorders. Founded in 2012, the startup already has a partnership with Nvidia, and its exoskeletons are FDA-cleared and approved for use in both the European Union and the U.S.
Zordi: Another startup with a pre-existing relationship with Nvidia, this startup is utilizing robots to enhance sustainable farming. Founded in 2020, Zordi has two machines—one for gathering information on a plant’s health and another for delicately picking and placing fruits.
“Physical AI is the next frontier of innovation where the intelligence we have advanced in the digital world now shapes how machines interact in the real world,” Amazon’s Chief Technologist of Robotics, Tye Brady, said. “With the tools and guidance from AWS and our partners in this program, these startups will have both the horsepower and playbook to transform bold ideas into automation that will reshape entire industries.”
The Physical AI Fellowship is a six to eight-week virtual program that runs through December 2025, culminating with a final showcase—just in time for AWS’s annual re:Invent conference. Participating startups will receive up to $200,000 in AWS credits, training and preferred pricing on Nvidia’s hadware and software stack, assistance from generative AI science and engineering experts at Amazon, specialized training from Nvidia and AWS robotics teams, go-to-market support, networking opportunities with MassRobotics’ 100 resident startups, more than 500 robotics companies, and over 30 corporate sponsors, among other benefits.