Stablecoin giant Tether has announced its participation as a backer in an $81 million funding round for an Italian artificial intelligence startup focused on developing advanced humanoid robots.
The funding round, totaling 70 million euros, was led by the AI fund of CDP Venture Capital. Other notable participants in the round included Tether, AMD Ventures, Duferco, Eni Next, and RoboIT.
In a statement released on Monday, Tether confirmed its capital contribution was intended to support the development of advanced humanoid robots. These robots are described as being "built for industrial scale performance" and designed for "human-centric interaction."
Tether further elaborated that its investment will facilitate the development of Physical AI systems and edge AI solutions. This support aims to accelerate the industrial validation of Generative Bionics' humanoid platform, the establishment of its first production facility, and its integration into the broader robotics ecosystem.
Generative Bionics, an AI startup and research spinoff from the Italian Institute of Technology, is dedicated to creating humanoid robots equipped with "real-world physical AI capabilities." A key focus of their work is enabling industrial usability within factory production lines.
Tether articulated that its support for Generative Bionics aligns with its broader strategic objective to invest in emerging technologies that enhance human potential. This strategy also aims to reduce reliance on centralized systems typically overseen by major technology companies.
Tether's investment strategy encompasses five key areas: finance, power, data, education, and evolution. Investments in artificial intelligence, such as this one in Generative Bionics, fall under the "evolution" category.
With a robust balance sheet in 2025, Tether has actively engaged in a series of investments across various sectors. In the realm of artificial intelligence, reports from mid-November indicated that Tether was considering a significant investment of $1.15 billion in Neura, a German AI robotics startup.
The announcement from Tether also highlighted other AI initiatives that the company has supported.
These include investments in brain-computer interfaces through its backing of Blackrock Neurotech. Additionally, Tether has been involved in recent AI initiatives such as its collaboration with Northern Data and Rumble to establish a 20,000-GPU global compute network dedicated to open, privacy-preserving AI development.