Webinar
AI Is Getting a Body: Five things investors need to understand about robotics in 2026
Join Mike Collins, CEO and Founder of Alumni Ventures, and Michael Beer, Principal at Alumni Ventures, as they examine how robotics is evolving from equipment into labor — and what that shift means for investors evaluating one of technology’s largest emerging opportunities.
Mike and Michael will unpack five ideas investors should understand about robotics and physical AI in 2026: why robots are increasingly priced against wages, why focused applications are outperforming general-purpose promises, where durable value may emerge as hardware commoditizes, why successful deployment matters more than a compelling demonstration, and how to evaluate the long-term potential of humanoid robotics.
Whether you’re already investing in AI and robotics or exploring the sector for the first time, this session will provide a practical framework for assessing business models, competitive advantages, deployment economics, and valuation risk. Register to gain a clearer view of where robotics is creating value today — and which signals could distinguish lasting companies from short-lived excitement.
Want to access our AI & Robotics Syndicate startup deals to see, evaluate, and optionally invest? No cost, no commitment.
Why Attend?
- HomeDiscover the five forces shaping the robotics and physical AI investment landscape in 2026.
- HomeUnderstand how Alumni Ventures evaluates wage economics, deployment progress, defensibility, and entry price.
- HomeExplore how investors can access opportunities across robotics software, perception, data, and physical systems.
Rated a Top 20 VC Firm by both TIME and CB Insights.
Alumni Ventures is America’s largest venture capital firm for individual investors.
About your presenters
Mike has been involved in almost every facet of venturing, from angel investing to venture capital, new business and product launches, and innovation consulting. He is the CEO of Alumni Ventures and launched AV’s first alumni fund, Green D Ventures, where he oversaw the portfolio as Managing Partner and is now Managing Partner Emeritus. Mike is a serial entrepreneur who has started multiple companies, including Kid Galaxy, Big Idea Group (partially owned by WPP), and RDM. He began his career at VC firm TA Associates. He holds an undergraduate degree in Engineering Science from Dartmouth and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Michael is an accomplished multi-stage venture investor with experience across investing, consulting, and company building. Before joining Alumni Ventures as a Principal, he held an investment role at Cerity Partners Ventures (formerly Touchdown Ventures), where he sourced and led diligence on investments across enterprise AI, energy transition, and media. Prior to that, Michael spent several years at BCG advising technology companies on turnarounds and strategic transformation, and at Comvest Partners executing private equity investments across the middle market.
At Alumni Ventures, Michael focuses on pre-seed through Series C opportunities with a thematic emphasis on enterprise AI, energy transition, and media.
Outside of work, Michael is an avid squash player and poker enthusiast. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, where he focused on finance and entrepreneurship and an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied philosophy, political science, and economics.