Tether Invests in $81 Million Funding Round for Italian Humanoid Robot Maker

TLDR

• Tether invested in an $81 million funding round for Italian AI startup Generative Bionics, which develops humanoid robots for industrial use
• The robots are designed for dangerous factory jobs like lifting and repetitive tasks in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and retail
• Generative Bionics plans to deploy its first production-ready humanoid systems in early 2026
• This investment follows Tether’s recent focus on AI and robotics, including a potential $1.15 billion investment in German robotics firm Neura
• The funding round was led by CDP Venture Capital’s AI fund, with participation from AMD Ventures and other investors

Tether has joined an $81 million funding round for Generative Bionics, an Italian artificial intelligence startup building humanoid robots for industrial work. The 70 million euro round was led by the AI fund of CDP Venture Capital.

Other participants in the funding round included AMD Ventures, Duferco, Eni Next, and RoboIT. Tether announced its participation on Monday.

Generative Bionics is a research spinoff from the Italian Institute of Technology. The company focuses on creating humanoid robots with physical AI capabilities for real-world industrial applications.

The robots are designed to work in factory production lines and handle dangerous or physically demanding tasks. These include lifting, hauling, and repetitive work that traditional robotic arms cannot easily perform.

Tether’s investment will support the development of physical AI systems and edge AI solutions. The funding will also help accelerate industrial validation of the company’s humanoid platform.

The money will go toward developing Generative Bionics’ first production facility. It will also support integration into the broader robotics ecosystem.

Industrial Deployment Timeline

Generative Bionics plans to roll out its first production-ready humanoid systems in early 2026. The company has identified several target sectors for deployment.

These sectors include manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and retail. The robots are built to operate in environments designed for human workers.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino described the investment as part of a shift toward backing digital and physical infrastructure. He said the company aims to reduce reliance on centralized systems controlled by large technology companies.

Tether’s AI Investment Strategy

According to Tether, the company focuses on five investment areas: finance, power, data, education, and evolution. AI investments like Generative Bionics fall under the evolution category.

Tether has made several AI-related investments in recent months. In mid-November, reports emerged that the firm was considering a $1.15 billion investment in German AI robotics startup Neura at a $10 billion valuation.

The stablecoin issuer has also invested in brain-computer interfaces through Blackrock Neurotech. Tether recently partnered with Northern Data and Rumble to deploy a 20,000-GPU global compute network for AI development.

The investment comes weeks after S&P Global downgraded USDT’s stability score to its weakest level. The rating agency cited Tether’s rising exposure to bitcoin and other investments with limited disclosure. Tether rejected the assessment.

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