Vantora raises $100 million to build proprietary physical-AI startups for corporates

Vantora, the startup studio formerly known as UP.Labs, received a $100 million investment from Silversmith Capital Partners, its first outside funding. Founder and CEO John Kuolt said the firm is shifting toward a proprietary M&A pipeline in which corporate partners still fund studio-built startups and serve as first customers, but can now fold those ventures into their core businesses. Kuolt said the change lets Vantora pursue sensitive physical-AI work, including industrial autonomy layers companies would not sell to competitors. The studio launched in 2022 with Porsche and has also worked with Alaska Airlines, J.B. Hunt, Wabash, and TDG. It continues serving unnamed industrial manufacturing and oil-and-gas customers.