RLWRLD, a Physical AI company building robotics foundation models, announced a $15 million seed round backed by an alliance of industrial leaders from Korea and Japan.
The funding round includes investments from LG Electronics, SK Telecom, KDDI, ANA Holdings, Mitsui Chemicals, and Shimadzu Corporation, as well as leading VCs from Japan and Korea, including Hashed, Mirae Asset, and Global Brain.
RLWRLD is headed by Jung-hee Ryu, whose previous company, Olaworks, was acquired by Intel in its first-ever acquisition of a Korean startup. And the founding team includes KAIST Chair Professor Jinwoo Shin, Kurly’s ex-CTO, a Kakao engineering lead, and a former BCG partner, forming a world-class team to tackle what may be the next trillion-dollar opportunity in AI: machines that can move, think, and adapt in the physical world.
As generative AI leaders race to master text, code, and images, RLWRLD is developing foundation models that learn from real-world sensors, robotics systems, and industrial workflows. And these models enable robots to reason and act autonomously in dynamic physical environments—factories, warehouses, logistics hubs, and beyond.
RLWRLD’s platform is built on three strategic pillars:
1.) Embodied model architecture optimized for real-world intelligence
2.) Industrial-scale data pipelines from East Asia’s manufacturing ecosystem
3.) Plug-and-play infrastructure that integrates seamlessly with existing robotics systems
The $15 million funding will accelerate RLWRLD’s next phase:
1.) Expanding proprietary data pipelines across industrial partner sites
2.) Advancing its robotics foundation model stack
3.) Deepening integration with robotics and sensor companies in Asia and North America
The company is also creating a multi-stakeholder innovation ecosystem through collaborations with KAIST, Seoul National University, and POSTECH, and with robotics manufacturers like WIRobotics, Rainbow Robotics, Wonik Robotics, Robotis and more.
KEY QUOTES:
“Silicon Valley is building brains for the internet. We’re building brains for machines.”
– Jung-hee Ryu, Founder & CEO, RLWRLD
“We’re not just writing papers—we’re training models that solve real-world problems on real production floors.”
– Jinwoo Shin, Chief Scientist, RLWRLD & KAIST Chair Professor
“RLWRLD combines deep AI research with industrial execution at scale. That’s what makes this a rare, high-conviction investment.”
– Simon Seojoon Kim, CEO, Hashed
