Tether Invests in Humanoid Robots. When Will They Be Launched

RBK-cryptoОпубліковано о 2025-12-09Востаннє оновлено о 2025-12-09

Анотація

Tether, the company behind the USDT stablecoin, has invested in humanoid robotics through a €70 million funding round in Generative Bionics, a spin-off from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT). The startup is developing "physical AI" robots for industrial use and human interaction, leveraging two decades of IIT research. Tether stated these investments support technologies that "expand human potential and reduce reliance on centralized systems." The first industrial deployment programs for these robots are planned for early 2026, targeting manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and retail sectors. A full concept of the humanoid robot will be unveiled at the CES exhibition in Las Vegas. Tether investment portfolio also includes AI, financial services, energy, and biotech.

Tether, the company behind the largest stablecoin USDT, has announced investments in the development of humanoid robots through the Italian Institute of Technology's (IIT) spin-off startup Generative Bionics. The funding round raised €70 million.

Generative Bionics specializes in creating robots with "physical AI" designed for industrial use and human interaction. The startup utilizes two decades of IIT's robotics research, holds exclusive licenses to key technologies, and employs about 70 engineers and AI specialists from the Italian Institute of Technology, according to the statement.

Tether describes these investments as supporting new technologies that "expand human potential and reduce dependence on centralized systems controlled by large tech companies." The company noted it has previously invested in similar developments: Tether funds the creation of neural interfaces through Blackrock Neurotech, and together with Northern Data and Rumble, is deploying a global network for AI utilization.

Generative Bionics states that the first industrial deployment programs for robots are planned for early 2026. They will cover industries such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and retail. The first full-concept humanoid robot developed by the company will be presented at the CES international exhibition in Las Vegas (held annually in January).

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that the company "is proud to support a team that turns Italy's scientific leadership into global industrial influence." Both Ardoino and another Tether founder, Giancarlo Devasini, are originally from Italy.

Beyond AI investments, Tether's portfolio includes investments in financial services, energy, biotechnology, education, and media across various countries. The company holds stakes in projects spanning commodities, money transfers, sports, and entertainment.

Only 7 native tokens have remained in profit since the beginning of the year. And it's not Bitcoin

Binance suspended an employee for insider trading. What happened

Strategy purchased the largest batch of Bitcoin since July

Пов'язані питання

QWhat is the name of the startup that Tether invested in for humanoid robot development?

ATether invested in the startup called Generative Bionics, a spinoff of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT).

QHow much funding was raised in the investment round for Generative Bionics?

AThe funding round raised €70 million.

QWhat is the primary purpose of the 'physical AI' robots being developed by Generative Bionics?

AThe 'physical AI' robots are designed for industrial use and human interaction.

QWhen are the first industrial deployment programs for these robots planned, and which sectors will they cover?

AThe first industrial deployment programs are planned for early 2026 and will cover manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and commerce.

QWhere and when will the first full concept of the humanoid robot developed by Generative Bionics be presented?

AThe first full concept of the humanoid robot will be presented at the international CES exhibition in Las Vegas, which is held annually in January.

Пов'язані матеріали

If It's Not a Clear Yes, It's a No: A Nine-Year Retrospective by a VC Who Survived Four Cycles

**"Invest Only When Certain": A Nine-Year Retrospective from a VC Across Four Cycles** IOSG founder Jocy shares hard-earned lessons from nine years and over a hundred investments in Web3. The core challenge isn't identifying successful founders, but understanding why talented founders with solid ideas still fail. Through building a "failed founder database," IOSG identified six recurring failure patterns. **Founder Trait Red Flags:** 1. **Emotionally Unstable:** Founders who react defensively to criticism or publicly lash out under pressure (e.g., 80% drawdowns) often fail. Resilience is key. 2. **Lacking Hunger / Having a Fallback:** Founders with significant safety nets (family wealth, cushy fallback jobs) may lack the "do-or-die" commitment needed to survive crypto's brutal cycles. 3. **Unchecked Ego:** Includes "polished execution machines" who excel in known frameworks but struggle when paradigms shift, and "professor-types" who are technically brilliant but resistant to commercial feedback or coaching. **Project Structure Red Flags:** 4. **Token-First, Not Product-First:** Treating the token solely as a fundraising tool with no real utility or connection to product value is a major warning sign. The project should have value even if the token goes to zero. 5. **No Day-1 Exit Thesis:** Founders must have a clear, staged capital strategy from the start, understanding what each funding round needs to prove to unlock the next. "Exit before entry" is crucial. 6. **No Full-Cycle Experience:** Founders who haven't lived through a complete crypto bull/bear cycle (e.g., 2018, 2022) often underestimate their vulnerability. IOSG limits initial checks for such teams to $250k, sizing for risk. **The Positive Flipside: Desirable Founder Traits** The ideal candidate exhibits: obsessive problem-depth, being a second-time founder with a non-consensus vision, strong communication skills with *controlled* ego, relentless perseverance, and a global perspective with agency and taste (increasingly vital in the AI era). **Three Survival Tips for Founders:** 1. **Cash Flow Over Narrative:** Real revenue is what sustains projects, not vanity metrics. 2. **Tokens Are a Liability:** Avoid issuing a token unless absolutely necessary. The hidden costs (market making, liquidity, compliance) are immense, often a multi-million-dollar burden. 3. **Respect Liquidity:** Sell during peaks to build treasury, buy back to support the protocol during troughs. Be realistic about valuations and your ability to deliver for the next round. The final principle is simple yet paramount: **"If it's a borderline 'yes' or 'no,' don't invest."** In an industry that reinvents itself every few years, the discipline to consistently say "no" is the ultimate secret to longevity.

Foresight News21 хв тому

If It's Not a Clear Yes, It's a No: A Nine-Year Retrospective by a VC Who Survived Four Cycles

Foresight News21 хв тому

SemiAnalysis Deep Dive into CXMT: $50 Billion Revenue, An IPO Amidst a Supercycle

SemiAnalysis' in-depth report on ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) details its rapid rise as China's largest upcoming semiconductor IPO. Founded in 2016 by Zhu Yiming, CXMT built its DRAM foundation on acquired patents and talent from the bankrupt German firm Qimonda. It achieved its first annual profit in 2025 after nearly a decade of significant capital support, primarily from patient Hefei municipal investors who fostered a local supply chain. The company is now capitalizing on a strong DRAM supercycle. Its revenue soared from ~$3.3B in 2024 to ~$8.6B in 2025, with Q1 2026 alone reaching ~$7.3B. SemiAnalysis projects full-year 2026 revenue could exceed $50B, driven by soaring ASPs rather than massive market share gains. While CXMT is closing the capacity gap with Micron, its product mix remains heavily focused on commodity DDR/LPDDR, which currently offers higher margins than its nascent HBM business. CXMT faces significant challenges in HBM, struggling with yield and stability for HBM3 8-Hi stacks while lagging behind the big three (Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron) in advanced nodes. However, strategic national priorities for AI self-sufficiency may push it to accelerate HBM capacity. Its complex IPO structure reveals heavy state-backed ownership and voting control over its fabs, with Alibaba appearing as both a key cloud customer and a minority shareholder. The IPO aims to raise ~$4.1B, primarily to strengthen its core DRAM manufacturing base.

marsbit41 хв тому

SemiAnalysis Deep Dive into CXMT: $50 Billion Revenue, An IPO Amidst a Supercycle

marsbit41 хв тому

From Corning to Ciena: The 10x Opportunity in the AI Optical Communication Chain

The transition from copper to optical communication in AI data centers is creating significant investment opportunities beyond just chipmakers. The entire photonics supply chain, from glass and fiber to connectors and test equipment, is critical. Corning, a key fiber supplier, has locked in multi-billion dollar, multi-year contracts with major cloud providers (Meta, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, NVIDIA), demonstrating pricing power and scale. Its profit growth is outpacing revenue growth. In the interconnect layer, Amphenol benefits from high growth in AI data centers, driven by strategic acquisitions and operational efficiency, while Credo Technology acts as a bridge between copper and optical solutions, though with high customer concentration risk. At the systems level, Ciena enables higher data capacity on existing fiber lines, with a strong backlog and cloud customer adoption. Further upstream, AXT is a bottleneck supplier of key indium phosphide wafers for lasers but faces geopolitical supply chain risks. VEO Solutions provides essential testing equipment for the entire photonics industry. A new pure-play photonics ETF (FOTO) offers a consolidated investment approach. The core thesis is that the physical limits of copper are driving an inevitable shift to optical technologies, with wealth flowing to essential, often overlooked, suppliers across the photonics value chain.

marsbit54 хв тому

From Corning to Ciena: The 10x Opportunity in the AI Optical Communication Chain

marsbit54 хв тому

Торгівля

Спот
Ф'ючерси
活动图片