RLWRLD Raises $15M to Build 'GPT for Robots,' Backed by Asia's Industrial Giants

As Silicon Valley builds AI for the internet, RLWRLD trains AI to act in the real world—with support from LG, SK, KDDI, ANA, and more

SEOUL, South Korea and TOKYO, April 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- RLWRLD, a Physical AI startup building robotics foundation models, today announced a $15 million seed round backed by a powerful alliance of industrial leaders from Korea and Japan.

The round includes investments from LG Electronics, SK Telecom, KDDI, ANA Holdings, Mitsui Chemicals, and Shimadzu Corporation, as well as leading AI-focused VCs from Japan and Korea, including Hashed, Mirae Asset, and Global Brain—marking one of the most significant cross-border bets on the future of real-world AI.

RLWRLD is led by Jung-hee Ryu, whose previous company, Olaworks, was acquired by Intel in its first-ever acquisition of a Korean startup. The founding team includes KAIST Chair Professor Jinwoo Shin, Kurly's ex-CTO, a Kakao engineering lead, and a former BCG partner, forming a world-class squad to tackle what may be the next trillion-dollar opportunity in AI: machines that can move, think, and adapt in the physical world.

"Silicon Valley is building brains for the internet. We're building brains for machines."

— Jung-hee Ryu, Founder & CEO, RLWRLD

From Text to Touch: The Rise of Physical AI

While generative AI leaders race to master text, code, and images, RLWRLD is developing foundation models that learn from real-world sensors, robotics systems, and industrial workflows. These models enable robots to reason and act autonomously in dynamic physical environments—factories, warehouses, logistics hubs, and beyond.

RLWRLD's platform is built on three strategic pillars:

• Embodied model architecture optimized for real-world intelligence
• Industrial-scale data pipelines from East Asia's manufacturing ecosystem
• Plug-and-play infrastructure that integrates seamlessly with existing robotics systems

"We're not just writing papers—we're training models that solve real-world problems on real production floors."

— Jinwoo Shin, Chief Scientist, RLWRLD & KAIST Chair Professor

Building a Real-World AI Ecosystem

The $15M funding will accelerate RLWRLD's next phase:

• Expanding proprietary data pipelines across industrial partner sites
• Advancing its robotics foundation model stack
• Deepening integration with robotics and sensor companies in Asia and North America

The company is also building a multi-stakeholder innovation ecosystem through collaborations with KAIST, Seoul National University, and POSTECH, and with robotics manufacturers like WIRobotics, Rainbow Robotics, Wonik Robotics, Robotis and more.

"RLWRLD combines deep AI research with industrial execution at scale. That's what makes this a rare, high-conviction investment."

— Simon Seojoon Kim, CEO, Hashed

About RLWRLD

RLWRLD is a Physical AI company developing robotics foundation models trained on real-world data from East Asia's top manufacturing ecosystems. Founded by serial entrepreneur Jung-hee Ryu, the company brings together world-class AI, robotics, and industrial expertise to power the next generation of embodied intelligence.

Learn more at rlwrld.ai.

Media Contact:

Leehyoung Yang, Team Cookie, leehyoung@teamcookie.kr 

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

RLWRLD Raises $15M to Build 'GPT for Robots,' Backed by Asia's Industrial Giants

BEIJING, Dec. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 29, China's Ministry of Natural Resources released a survey report on the coral reef ecosystem of Huangyan Dao. Based on this report, CMG Voice of the South China Sea released the ecological documentary An Unfading Commitment: Why Huangyan Dao Needs Protection.

This latest report, spanning four decades from 1985 to 2025, draws on data from over 60 research voyages, and integrates 16 years of satellite remote sensing data. It shows that the coral reef ecosystem of Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve is generally in good condition.

The documentary An Unfading Commitment: Why Huangyan Dao Needs Protection presents audiences with the healthy and lush seagrass, as well as the rare and endangered wildlife freely inhabiting the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve, such as the Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, and Spotted Eagle Ray. At the same time, the film conveys scientists' concerns: threats represented by the fourth global coral bleaching event are ever present. This survey also identified the presence of a small number of crown of thorns starfish in the waters around Huangyan Dao, and the risk of future outbreaks cannot be ruled out.

Today, more than 2,500 marine protected areas involving coral reefs have been established worldwide. The establishment of Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve is undoubtedly a solemn commitment made by the Chinese people, in the hope that it will inspire more people to help maintain and enhance the diversity, stability, and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem of Huangyan Dao.

https://vscs.cri.cn/20251229/d487c6b7-8724-4ad6-bf75-968c8dcac4cc.html

 

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Release of the Latest Ecological Documentary on Huangyan Dao: An Unfading Commitment: Why Huangyan Dao Needs Protection