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Rivian shares rose 4.2% on Wednesday following the successful closing of a funding round for Mind Robotics, the AI venture founded by Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe. According to analyst reports, the $400 million capital injection has established a valuation of $3.4 billion for the startup. The round was led by Kleiner Perkins, with notable participation from Volkswagen and Salesforce.
The involvement of Volkswagen as a strategic investor highlights the intensifying race to integrate AI-driven automation within the global automotive supply chain. This move places Mind Robotics in direct competition with other high-profile automation projects, such as Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot. Per market data, the latest funding brings the total capital raised by the venture to over $1 billion, signaling strong institutional appetite for industrial AI applications.
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Sign InRIVN shares were trading at $11.45 (close May 13, 2026) as markets reacted to the spinoff's increased valuation. Looking ahead, traders are focusing on upcoming speeches by Fed officials Goolsbee and Hammack for insights into the interest rate environment affecting tech valuations. Additionally, global industrial production data in the economic calendar will be a key catalyst for assessing the demand for Mind Robotics' automation solutions.