Southeast Asia’s robotics sector has raised $1.1 billion in all-time equity funding across 51 funded companies, with Singapore leading the region with $986 million bet.
Tracxn said in a statement on last Friday that the region funding included $696 million funding in 2026 year to date.
Overall, annual funding rose from $10.2 million in 2021 to $94 million in 2022, eased to $19.9 million in 2023 and $36.6 milion in 2024, then reached $52 million in 2025 and a record $696 million in 2026 year to date.
Meanwhile, deal activity moved the other way, falling from ten rounds in 2021 to three in 2025 before recovering to six in 2026 year to date, indicating that recent growth has come from larger rounds rather than more of them.
It is noted that funding reached a record in 2026, driven almost entirely by Sharpa’s $670 million Series D.
Its funding in August alone exceeds the sector’s combined funding across every prior year.
Capital remains concentrated in Singapore and at the earliest stages, with only three of 242 companies reaching Series D or beyond and none yet a unicorn, said Tracxn.
Of the 242 tracked companies, 51 (21 percent) have raised institutional funding, with 22 reaching Series A or beyond, nine Series B or beyond, five Series C or beyond, and just three Series D or beyond.
Companies take an average of 4.1 years from first funding to reach Series A+ and 5.5 years to reach Series B+.
The funded base has expanded steadily, adding between one and five companies each year since 2021 to reach 51.
Singapore accounts for 91.7 percent of total funding and 108 of the 242 tracked companies, 37 of them funded, with $986 million raised across 58 rounds.
Its most-funded companies include Sharpa ($670 million), Fourier Intelligence ($83 million) and Neptune Robotics ($69.5 million).
Beyond Singapore, activity thins quickly: Malaysia’s Seri Kembangan ($5 million) and Johor Bahru ($3.7 million), and Vietnam’s Chukai ($281,000) and Tan Binh ($120,000), account for most of the remainder.
Hanoi (13 companies), Bangkok (10) and Ho Chi Minh City are also among the region’s other hubs, though their companies remain largely unfunded.
The sector has recorded one acquisition and no initial public offerings (IPOs).
Zimplistic(Rotimatic), which had raised $48.5 million, was acquired by Light Ray Holdings in October 2020 at an undisclosed price.
With most of the region’s funded companies still at early stages, and no company yet past a handful of late-stage rounds, exit activity remains limited.