Wandercraft, a Paris-based robotics company known for AI-powered exoskeletons, is in talks to raise approximately 100 million euros ($116 million), according to people familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg. Goldman Sachs is advising on the financing, which would value the startup at around 750 million euros before the new funding is added. The company, backed by Renault, is using the capital to support an expansion into industrial humanoid robots.
Financing Talks and Valuation
If completed, the round would represent Wandercraft's largest funding raise to date. It follows a $75 million Series D announced in June 2025 and signals continued investor confidence in the company's industrial robotics roadmap. The proceeds are expected to finance further business expansion as the company moves deeper into factory automation.
A Broader Surge in Humanoid Robotics Investment
The fundraising effort comes amid a sharp increase in capital flowing into humanoid robotics. Startups in the field raised $8.6 billion in the first half of 2026 alone, according to Dealroom data, which is already 1.8 times the total raised in all of 2025. Renault, Amazon, Google, and Mercedes-Benz are among the companies betting that factory-ready robots are no longer a distant vision.
From Rehabilitation Exoskeletons to Industrial Robots
Wandercraft was founded in Paris in 2012 by Nicolas Simon, Matthieu Masselin, and Jean-Louis Constanza. The founders were driven by the experience of watching relatives lose the ability to walk to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. This led to the development of the Atalante X rehabilitation exoskeleton, which is now used in more than 100 hospitals and rehabilitation centers worldwide.
Calvin Line and Industrial Capabilities
The company's newest Calvin line is designed for demanding physical tasks in industrial settings. The first model, Calvin-40, took 40 days to build and runs on Nvidia's Isaac GR00T N1 foundation model and Jetson computing platform. It can lift up to 40 kilograms repeatedly without a break and is already loading tires onto the production line at Renault's Douai plant in France.
Renault as Investor, Customer, and Deployment Partner
Renault closed a minority investment in Wandercraft in June 2025 and became its first commercial customer for the Calvin-40. The automaker plans to have about 10 robots operating by the end of 2026 and 350 robots deployed across its French and Spanish factories by the end of 2027. This expansion is part of a broader effort to reduce assembly time per vehicle by 30 percent.
Competitive Landscape and Market Position
Wandercraft operates in an increasingly crowded and well-funded market. Figure AI raised more than $1 billion at a $39 billion valuation last September with backing from Nvidia, Brookfield, and OpenAI's startup fund. Apptronik closed a $520 million Series A extension in February 2026, lifting its Series A above $935 million.
Agility Robotics and Differentiation
Agility Robotics, which already has robots operating at nine customer sites including GXO and Toyota, is preparing for a public listing at a $2.5 billion valuation. By comparison, Wandercraft brings a decade of exoskeleton engineering and a direct relationship with Renault. That combination gives the company a practical test environment and a committed early customer.
Wandercraft's reported funding talks highlight the growing conviction that humanoid robots are approaching commercial viability in manufacturing. Investors will likely measure the company's progress against Renault's deployment targets and the broader industry's ability to move beyond demonstrations. The round, if finalized, could provide the capital needed to accelerate production and validate the industrial use case.
Source: Bloomberg