Naver’s startup investment arm D2SF announced on the 11th that it has made a follow-on investment in NdotLight, a physical artificial intelligence (AI) data infrastructure company. This marks the third time Naver D2SF has bet on NdotLight’s growth, following its pre-Series A round in 2021 and Series A in 2022.
The funding round was led by Korea Development Bank, with the total amount reaching 15 billion won (approximately $10.6 million). Naver D2SF explained that it decided on this follow-on investment after determining that NdotLight possesses the technical capabilities to fundamentally solve the data problem, which represents a key bottleneck in the physical AI sector.
NdotLight has developed TRINIX, a “Simulation-Ready” 3D data generation solution based on its proprietary 3D engine, capable of producing data that can be immediately deployed in simulation environments. While various data collection methods such as teleoperation have been attempted to advance physical AI, they have faced limitations including significant quality variations, slow collection speeds, and excessively high costs when applied in actual simulation-based learning environments.
NdotLight’s TRINIX addresses these challenges by building an automated pipeline for 3D data generation that precisely incorporates physical properties such as mass and friction, as well as joint structures and collision boundary information. Notably, the company has established a system capable of supplying high-quality 3D simulation datasets at scale through integration with Nvidia’s simulation platform, Omniverse.
NdotLight’s technology is already being validated in the market. The company currently provides AI training data to firms developing humanoid robots and robot foundation models, including Holiday Robotics, AeiROBOT, Robros, and RealWorld. It has also demonstrated industrial applicability by participating as a data supplier in physical AI projects for major corporations such as Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) and LG Electronics (066570.KS).
NdotLight’s management team is also highly regarded within the industry. CEO Park Jin-young previously gained experience in 3D launcher development at Samsung Electronics, while CTO Kim Sun-tae led AI and 3D engine development at both Naver and Samsung Electronics. Building on this technical expertise, NdotLight was named to a global list of noteworthy 3D engine companies by CB Insights, a leading venture research firm. With this new funding, the company plans to actively recruit top talent across all functions.
Naver D2SF intends to go beyond mere financial support with this additional investment, actively exploring potential collaboration with NdotLight in the physical AI space. Yang Sang-hwan, head of Naver D2SF, stated: “NdotLight is a team that has not only received our investment but also resided at Naver 1784, where we’ve built trust through close interaction. Amid a rapidly changing market environment, they have proactively captured key opportunities and translated them into swift execution. Going forward, we expect them to make a new leap as a leading physical AI data company and achieve even greater growth.”