Mecka AI, a New York startup that pays people to record everyday tasks as training data for robots, is nearing a funding round led by Sequoia Capital at a valuation of about $500 million, TechCrunch reported on September 11, 2026, citing two people with knowledge of the deal. The terms are not final and could change; Sequoia declined to comment and Mecka did not respond to TechCrunch.

If it closes, the round would come roughly three months after Mecka announced $60 million in funding led by Framework Ventures, and would put a price on the human-motion data that robot model builders now say they are short of.

What does Mecka AI do?

Mecka collects data on how people perform physical tasks, using custom body sensors and iPhones, and sells it to companies training robot models. It was founded in 2024 by Josh Gao (CEO), Mogen Cheng, Jason Chong and Duy Nguyen. Fortune reported in June 2026 that the company had about 40 employees; its customers have not been named.

How much has Mecka AI raised before?

On June 1, 2026, Fortune reported that Mecka had raised $60 million in total: a $25 million Series A that closed in November 2025 and a $35 million follow-on, led by Framework Ventures with Menlo Ventures, SV Angel and Kindred Ventures participating. No valuation was disclosed at the time. Gao told Fortune the company had a $100 million annual revenue run rate based on signed contracts; TechCrunch describes this as a run rate the company projects to reach by the end of 2026. Both are company statements and have not been independently verified.

Key Facts

  • Sequoia-led round at about $500m valuation reported by TechCrunch on September 11, 2026 (sources-based; not final)
  • Previous funding: $60m total led by Framework Ventures, announced June 1, 2026 ($25m Series A + $35m follow-on)
  • Company-stated $100m annual revenue run rate based on signed contracts
  • Data collected with custom body sensors and iPhones; founded 2024, New York
  • Peer XDOF reported nearing a Series B at a $1.2bn valuation

Why are investors paying up for robot training data?

Robot foundation models need large volumes of physical interaction data, and there is no internet-scale archive of it to scrape. Suppliers are filling that gap in different ways. TechCrunch reported that XDOF is nearing a Series B at a $1.2 billion valuation, and that Scale AI and Micro1 are also expanding into robot training data. In China, the state has taken the other route, funding dedicated robot data factories.

Mecka’s bet is that human video and body-sensor recordings, which are cheap to collect at scale, can substitute for a large share of costly robot teleoperation. How well human-motion data transfers to robot hands and bodies is still an open research question, and it is the variable the valuation depends on.

Why it matters: data suppliers are now being valued like infrastructure before the model makers have shown which kinds of data move performance. That makes the data race a funding category of its own, not just a cost line for humanoid companies.

Frequently Asked

What valuation is Mecka AI raising at?

TechCrunch reported on September 11, 2026 that Mecka AI is nearing a round at a valuation of about $500 million. The deal was not final and the terms could change.

Who is leading Mecka AI's new round?

Sequoia Capital is leading the round, according to two people with knowledge of the deal cited by TechCrunch. Sequoia declined to comment.

How does Mecka AI collect robot training data?

Mecka pays people to record everyday tasks using custom body sensors and iPhones, then sells the resulting human-motion data to companies training robot models.

How much had Mecka AI raised before the Sequoia round?

$60 million in total, announced on June 1, 2026: a $25 million Series A closed in November 2025 and a $35 million follow-on, led by Framework Ventures.

Sources & Further Reading