Rivian has created a new company called Mind Robotics, its second spinout this year, focused on industrial artificial intelligence and robotics.
The venture aims to apply AI to improve manufacturing and other physical-world operations, using Rivian’s production data as a foundation for what it calls a “robotics data flywheel,” according to the company’s third-quarter shareholder letter.
On an investor call, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the initiative came from Rivian’s experience with automation inside its plants. “We realized we had the chance to develop products and robotic solutions that allow us to run and operate our manufacturing plants more efficiently,” he said. Scaringe will chair the Mind Robotics board, and Rivian will hold an ownership stake.
Mind Robotics has raised 115 million dollars in seed funding led by Eclipse, whose partner Jiten Behl, a former Rivian executive, confirmed the investment in a LinkedIn post. The financing gives the new company resources to begin developing industrial automation tools based on Rivian’s factory systems.
This marks Rivian’s second spinout in 2025. In March, the company launched Also Inc., a micromobility startup that originated in Rivian’s internal research group and was funded by Eclipse and Greenoaks Capital.
Spinouts as a way to build focus and flexibility
Rivian’s decision to form separate companies for new technology areas follows a pattern seen across the manufacturing industry. Independent ventures allow companies to attract external investment and pursue innovation at a different pace from core operations.
For Rivian, this approach separates its experimental work in robotics and software from its electric-vehicle business. It gives each group clearer financial structures and accountability while keeping technical collaboration possible.
In its shareholder letter, the company wrote that its engineering and innovation capabilities allowed it to identify “additional areas of value” beyond automotive manufacturing. Rivian said the creation of new entities would help it scale these ideas “while maintaining Rivian’s focus.”
Similar developments are taking place elsewhere in the sector. Tesla and General Motors are expanding their robotics and automation programs as factories increasingly rely on machine learning, vision systems, and predictive maintenance tools. These efforts show that industrial automation is becoming a central capability rather than a supporting function in manufacturing.
Building Rivian’s base in industrial AI
Mind Robotics will use data generated from Rivian’s production lines to improve robotic precision and plant efficiency. The company’s work will initially center on Rivian’s manufacturing environment before extending to broader industrial applications.
Scaringe described the move as part of Rivian’s effort to strengthen its internal automation expertise. “As much as we’ve seen AI change how we run our businesses through large language models, the potential for AI to really change how we operate in the physical world is, in some ways, unimaginably large,” he said. “We wanted to have direct control and direct influence over the design and development of advanced AI robotics that would be very focused on industrial applications.”
Rivian has not disclosed whether employees will transfer to the new company or how its structure will evolve. The company has said that Mind Robotics is intended to complement its existing manufacturing systems.
Industrial AI and robotics are attracting strong venture funding in 2025 as companies seek new ways to optimize large-scale production. With Mind Robotics, Rivian joins this growing field through a model that connects its existing production knowledge with new automation research.
The spinout adds to Rivian’s broader strategy of building specialized technology businesses that draw on its operational base. Instead of expanding only as a vehicle manufacturer, Rivian is developing tools that can improve manufacturing processes across industries. Mind Robotics represents a continuation of that approach, turning Rivian’s factory experience into a structured platform for industrial automation.
