Nvidia backs MetAI, a Taiwanese startup that creates AI-powered digital twins

Nvidia continues to double down on opportunities to build robotics and other industrial AI applications, as it launches public platform, and more recently MegaA universal blueprint framework for creating digital twins to manage these applications. It is also investing in digital twin startups to get the effort off the ground

of Taiwan year Developed a model that can rapidly create “SimReady” (simulation-ready) digital twins using AI and 3D technology, converting CAD files into functional 3D environments in minutes.

Now Nvidia is backing MetAI in its first round of funding, a $4 million seed round that marks the chip giant’s first investment in a Taiwanese startup. Others in the round are a mix of strategic and financial investors, including Kenmake Mechanical Engineering, Solomo Technology, SparkLabs Taiwan, Addin Ventures and Upstream Ventures.

The next wave of AI, known as generative physical AI, relies on physically accurate simulated environments to build operational AI before deployment, to train and validate robots used in autonomous systems. MetAI claims the digital twin it helps create will be central to that effort.

“Digital twins have long been seen as a barrier to entry for physical AI due to the months or even years of effort required to develop,” said Daniel Yu, CEO and co-founder of MetAI.

MetAI focuses on AI-powered digital twins for advanced semiconductor fabs, smart warehouses and automation. It also generates synthetic data within an AI-enabled digital twin environment.

Renton Hsu, Yu’s co-founder and MetAI’s CTO, has a background in 3D engineering and AI, and was the first to work with digital twins when developing enterprise AI software applications: using them as practical solutions for clients’ shortage situations. Had enough data to train their system. He then realized he could apply the same to 3D systems, integrating 3D technology with AI to develop artificial AI and 3D solutions, joining Yu (who came to the startup with experience in digital transformation projects) and third co-founder Dave. Liu (COO), to start MetAI.

This success was enough to win first place in an AA competition run by Nvidia, making Hsu a “Jetson AI Ambassador” for the country.

Competitors to MetAI are a range of large and small companies that have developed digital twin technology for manufacturing. These include Siemens Digital Industries, Dassault Systèmes, Hexagon AB, Duality AI and Integles. In the synthetic data sector, there are several companies including Sky Engine and Scale AI.

MetAI believes it has a unique approach compared to all of these.

“Unlike competitors who prioritize operational efficiency or IoT integration, MetAI uses generative models and AI-driven layouts to create digital twins designed for physical AI training and implementation in real-world operations,” Yu said. “This approach not only accelerates the creation of digital twins but also ensures their direct usability for advanced automation systems such as robotics, bridging the gap between simulation and reality.”

MetAI differentiates itself by creating synthetic data within its AI-enabled digital twin environment. Yu noted that this enables users to create customized synthetic data for specific operational requirements, facilitating AI training and validation. “Instead of creating discrete datasets, MetAI creates dynamic virtual worlds (ie, world simulators) — realistic virtual environments that behave like the real world,” he said.

The two-year-old startup — whose products range from vertical AI agents to digital twins — has a handful of customers and is already generating revenue from partnerships with ventures in the manufacturing and automation industries, and this year it expects to bring in $3 million from a single project, U. said. Revenue comes from project-based income, product subscriptions and licensing fees from ongoing development, he added.

“MetAI’s integration with NVIDIA Omniverse represents a transformational step for the simulation of the industry’s digital twin and physical AI,” said Nico Caprez, Nvidia’s corporate development manager, in a statement. “Their ability to create scalable environments for AI training will potentially set a new standard for industries from manufacturing to robotics.”

In 2023, MetAI collaborated with Kenmec to create digital twins for automated warehouses. MetAI’s technology claims to have reduced the time required for warehouse digital twin simulations from thousands of hours to just 3 minutes, resulting in significant savings in operational and verification work.

With the latest funding, MetAI plans to expand its R&D team to rapidly develop and implement its go-to-market strategies to meet growing demand. On top of that, the Taiwan-based startup plans to set up a US office and relocate its headquarters in the second half of 2025, Yu told TechCrunch.

“Taiwan serves as our testing ground, where we collaborate with industry leaders in Taiwan to integrate deep vertical knowledge into our models, ensuring our solutions are both robust and scalable,” Liu said. “Given its size and demand for simulation-driven solutions, we are expanding the US market due to high labor costs and operational complexity. Our expansion strategy is focused on providing both point solutions and end-to-end solutions, including SaaS offerings and vertical AI agents designed for rapid implementation in real-world scenarios within these industries.”