Europeans in Japan raise $1.2M to put modular humanoid robots to work

O-ID, a Tokyo-based company founded by two Europeans, has secured $1.2 million in pre-seed funding to develop modular humanoid robots for industrial manufacturing and logistics. The startup, led by Norwegian CEO Stian Jakobsen and Dutch CTO Simon Gormuzov, aims to bring these robots to Japan's factories to address the country's looming labor shortage.

Japan's workforce is projected to shrink by more than 11 million workers by 2040, with factory workers retiring and not being replaced. Robotics is a national priority, with the government targeting an investment of ¥10.5 trillion ($65.1 billion) in physical AI by 2040, aiming to deploy 10 million AI-equipped robots. Traditional industrial robots are rigid and expensive to retool, whereas O-ID's modular robots offer flexibility and ease of maintenance.

Jakobsen and Gormuzov met at Waseda University and decided to build O-ID together, staying in Japan due to its strong engineering base and manufacturing capabilities. The company's robots are designed with a cybersecurity-first approach, continuously monitoring component wear and flagging parts approaching failure to minimize downtime.

Jakobsen believes Japan has the advantage in commercializing humanoid robotics due to its manufacturing base. The company's modular robots can work alongside existing factory layouts, saving time and money. They are targeting repetitive factory tasks, such as loading, unloading, and moving components, to address the labor shortage. O-ID plans to unveil its next version with mobility and greater strength at CES 2027, with factory pilots targeted for early 2027.