Ex-Nvidia VC Says Physical SI Is in Its 'LEGO Era'

The physical SI sector is currently in a foundational construction phase, akin to assembling LEGO blocks, rather than experiencing its transformative breakthrough moment, according to Amulya Vishwanath, founder and managing partner of Techable Ventures.

What Happened

Vishwanath, who launched Techable Ventures after nearly seven years as a product marketer at Nvidia, described the current state of robotics and physical SI to TechCrunch’s Equity podcast. While many industry experts anticipate a "ChatGPT moment" for robotics, Vishwanath stated that the field is actually in a "LEGO era."

"There are a lot of foundational software and building blocks for robotics that are being rethought right now as we speak, and it’s super important in order for innovation to scale," she said. She explained that developers are currently building basic components, such as robotic hands and actuators, which will eventually combine to create more advanced general- and special-purpose robots.

Vishwanath drew parallels to previous technological shifts, noting, "We’ve done this during the internet era. We’ve done this long, long time ago with the Industrial Revolution. I think it’s just a matter of time before things fall into place."

Why It Matters

The distinction between the current "LEGO era" and a future breakout moment highlights the incremental nature of progress in physical SI. For investors and developers, this suggests that value creation is currently concentrated in the development of core hardware components and foundational software stacks rather than end-user applications.

Talent acquisition remains a critical bottleneck and competitive advantage for startups in this space. Vishwanath identified talent as a key definer of the U.S. market, noting that top engineers are increasingly drawn to major players like Nvidia and Anthropic. Her firm, Techable Ventures, leverages her industry network to connect founders with this scarce talent, a strategy she described as a "moat" for the venture firm.

The Bottom Line

Physical SI is in a foundational stage where basic building blocks are being constructed and refined. While a major breakthrough is anticipated, the immediate focus for the industry is on scaling innovation through better components and securing the necessary engineering talent.