MR. ROBOT secures US$5 million to expand embodied AI for retail

Malaysian robotics and artificial intelligence company MR. ROBOT has secured US$5 million in strategic funding to accelerate the development of embodied AI technologies for retail, logistics and other commercial applications.

The funding round is backed by MR D.I.Y. International, Agibot and The Hub’s Investment Group, and will support the company’s efforts to expand its research, product development and pilot programmes across Southeast Asia.

Founded by Edwin Yap, MR. ROBOT focuses on bringing robotics beyond traditional industrial settings into environments such as supermarkets, warehouses and service operations. Its technology combines robotics with artificial intelligence, enabling machines to operate in dynamic, real-world environments alongside people.

Rather than concentrating solely on robotics hardware, the company is developing an ecosystem that includes AI models, robot training environments and data collection systems. This allows robots to learn from operational settings and continuously improve their performance through real-world experience.

The technology is aimed at helping retailers and logistics operators address challenges such as labour shortages, rising operating costs and increasing customer service expectations. Current pilot projects with retail partners include applications for shelf replenishment, customer assistance, autonomous movement of goods and in-store monitoring.

According to the company, the new investment will also be used to strengthen research into embodied AI, expand training and data infrastructure, and support the development of engineering talent in the region.

MR. ROBOT plans to broaden its pilot deployments across Southeast Asia as it continues developing robotics solutions for commercial environments, with a focus on making AI-powered machines more practical for day-to-day retail and logistics operations.