Toyota AI launches $100m fund for mobility start-ups

Toyota AI Ventures has announced a $100 million fund dedicated to investing in early-stage start-ups developing autonomous mobility and robotics. The company says the fund brings its total assets under management to more than $200m to invest in and support promising projects around the world. Jim Adler, managing director of Toyota AI Ventures, says: “Investing in start-ups creates long-term relationships that help Toyota explore the latest innovations in mobility.” The company looks across a range of in
May 13, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
1686 Toyota AI Ventures has announced a $100 million fund dedicated to investing in early-stage start-ups developing autonomous mobility and robotics.


The company says the fund brings its total assets under management to more than $200m to invest in and support promising projects around the world.

Jim Adler, managing director of Toyota AI Ventures, says: “Investing in start-ups creates long-term relationships that help Toyota explore the latest innovations in mobility.”

The company looks across a range of industries that are applying artificial intelligence (AI), data, and cloud technologies. Existing investments includes the following companies:

  • Joby Aviation: Pioneering an electric vertical take-off and landing passenger aircraft service
  • May Mobility: A Level 4 self-driving shuttle service
  • Sea Machines: Building autonomous control and navigation systems for the maritime industry
  • Elementary Robotics: Developing robotics platforms to assist with automating everyday tasks
  • Intuition Robotics: Creating social companion technologies using cognitive AI


Edwin Olson, co-founder and CEO of May Mobility, says: “For us, Toyota AI Ventures isn’t just an important investor, they are a critical partner in helping us realise our long-term vision of making transportation safer and more personal.”

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • MaaS Market London conference attracts global experts
    February 20, 2019
    A plethora of global mobility experts is heading for ITS International’s 2019 MaaS Market Conference, reflecting the increasing pace of Mobility as a Service deployment. Colin Sowman reports Mobility as a Service (MaaS) cannot exist without the digitisation of transport services - and digitisation is without doubt the biggest challenge the transport sector has ever faced. It will create more changes over the next five to 10 years than the transport sector has seen in the past 100 - and there will be winn
    Read More
  • Quantum XYZ intends to launch air taxi service in Los Angeles
    December 4, 2018
    Quantum XYZ is seeking to use SureFly’s eight-rotor hybrid ‘octocopters’ to launch an air taxi service in Los Angeles. SureFly, a subsidiary of US technology company Workhorse, is currently pursuing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification for its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Quantum intends to submit an application to become a FAA-certified urban VTOL air carrier. The company’s president, Tony Thompson, says: “Once SureFly receives FAA Type certification, we
    Read More
  • New US DOT committee to shape the future of automated transportation
    October 20, 2016
    The US Department of Transportation (US DOT) is seeking innovators and experts to join a cross-modal committee to shape the future of automated transportation technologies. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has announced the establishment of an Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation (ACAT), which will serve as a critical resource for the Department in framing federal policy for the continued development and deployment of automated transportation. Members of the committee will assess th
    Read More
  • UK unveils 5G-connected tram 
    March 17, 2021
    West Midlands 5G says trams can use on-board sensors to predict and respond to faults
    Read More

Highlighted Content