The Future of Automotive Industry: Every Car Company’s Transformation into a Robotics Company

Jiten Behl, a partner at Eclipse Ventures and former chief growth officer at Rivian, envisions a new era of re-industrialization in the United States, where AI-powered robots will replace cheap overseas labor in factories.

Having played a pivotal role in scaling Rivian from a mere idea in a conference room back in 2015 to a prominent publicly traded EV manufacturer, Behl is now focused on investing in the burgeoning industrial and mobility startup landscape. This includes backing two Rivian spinouts, namely Also and Mind Robotics, as part of Eclipse’s broader belief that the physical world is primed for the kind of disruptive innovation that software experienced a decade ago.

In a recent episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec engages in a dialogue with Behl, delving into the reasons behind Rivian’s strategy of spinning out new companies, the unique needs of founders in the physical realm compared to software entrepreneurs, and the growing importance of automation for America to remain competitive amidst the evolving global supply chain dynamics.

Key highlights from the conversation include:

• Behl’s emphasis on seeking founders who possess a blend of unwavering optimism and practicality, a rare combination even in the tech hub of Silicon Valley.

• The success of vertical integration for Rivian and why it may not be a viable strategy for most contemporary startups.

• Behl’s bold prediction that autonomous technology will transition from a theoretical concept to a tangible reality within the next five years.

For more insightful discussions, tune in to Equity on popular podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts, Overcast, and Spotify. Stay updated by following Equity on Twitter at @EquityPod.