Israeli Prodigy Builds AI Brain for Next-Gen Robots with $71 Million Funding
Yehonatan Yakobi, an Israeli tech prodigy and former Check Point and Microsoft employee, co-founded Enigma, a startup developing AI for robots to perform physical tasks. The company recently raised $71 million to advance its technology, aiming to integrate intelligent robots into retail, healthcare, and industry. Yakobi highlights the challenge of enabling robots to operate reliably in the physical world and stresses the importance of persistence in AI innovation.
הידיעה ב-6 שורות · תקציר של baba
- Yehonatan Yakobi, youngest Check Point employee, now leads AI robotics startup Enigma.
- Enigma raised $71 million seed funding led by Index Ventures and Ribbit Capital.
- The startup develops AI enabling robots to perform complex physical tasks in real environments.
- Enigma’s robots aim to assist workers in retail, healthcare, and industry, not replace them.
- Yakobi credits his mother’s determination and elite 8200 service for his success.
- Enigma employs 25 people in Tel Aviv and collaborates with major industry partners.
At just 13 years old, Yehonatan Yakobi from Kfar Saba was already studying computer science and mathematics at the university level. By 16, he became the youngest employee ever at Check Point, later moving on to Microsoft and serving in the elite Israeli Intelligence Unit 8200. Alongside his longtime friend and partner Gal Niv, Yakobi now leads Enigma, a startup developing advanced AI models that enable robots to understand and operate in the physical world, beyond chatbots or language models.
Founded only ten months ago, Enigma has quickly raised $71 million in a seed funding round led by Index Ventures and Ribbit Capital, with participation from Conviction Partners and prominent Silicon Valley investors including Asaf Rappaport. The company employs 25 people in Tel Aviv and collaborates with partners in retail, healthcare, and industry to create foundational AI software that allows robots to perform complex tasks reliably and intuitively in real environments.
Yakobi explains that while AI has made huge strides in language and communication, machines still struggle with physical tasks humans perform daily. Enigma’s goal is to build AI that helps robots work alongside humans, enhancing efficiency without replacing jobs. For example, robots could assist store clerks by sorting products or help hospitals facing shortages of ultrasound technicians.
Yakobi credits his mother’s fierce determination for his courage and drive, which propelled him through early achievements and elite military service. He emphasizes that success in AI requires persistence and belief in the process, noting that the field is open to anyone willing to work hard. Enigma aims to lead the next decade’s AI revolution by making intelligent robots accessible and natural to use, potentially transforming multiple industries worldwide.
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