Robotics startups are racing to solve one of artificial intelligence's most complex challenges: creating systems that can handle tasks beyond their original training. Enigma is taking a different route by focusing not only on model performance, but on how people naturally communicate with robots.
The research lab, which is emerging from stealth, has raised a $70 million seed round led by Index Ventures and Ribbit Capital, with participation from Conviction Partners' Sarah Guo. The funding will support Enigma's effort to build more intuitive ways for humans to guide machines.
At the center of the company's approach is a large public experiment. Enigma is opening access to more than 100 of its own AI-powered robots, allowing users around the world to interact with them online. The machines, located in facilities in Israel and California, can draw with a paintbrush, handle sword-based motion tasks, and carry out simple chemistry exercises by moving and mixing flasks.
Founded by Jonathan Jacobi and Gal Niv, Enigma brings together experience from cybersecurity, hacking competitions, and Israel's Unit 8200. The team includes researchers and engineers drawn from the broader tech ecosystem, reflecting the startup's ambition to approach robotics from a fresh angle.
Rather than asking only what robots can do, Enigma is asking how people want to work with them. The company is testing whether text, voice, video examples, or drag-and-drop controls can create a smoother experience, with the goal of making robot operation feel as natural as turning a volume knob.
Enigma says the data from this experiment could help shape both better interfaces and stronger foundation models. The company is also exploring potential applications in healthcare, logistics, and entertainment. If successful, this approach could help define a more intuitive era for human-robot collaboration.
