A startup that builds other startups raised $100M, and is all-in on physical AI

Vantora, formerly UP.Labs, raised $100 million from Silversmith Capital Partners and is narrowing its model to build startups primarily for corporate partners. The firm says those partners can now acquire or absorb the ventures, creating a proprietary M&A path for technologies such as physical AI in manufacturing, aviation, automotive, and energy.

The shift reflects growing demand from large industrial companies to own AI systems tied to physical infrastructure rather than rely on outside vendors. Vantora’s model points to a trend where venture building becomes more like strategic R&D plus acquisition, especially for sensitive autonomy and industrial AI use cases.