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Mecka AI nears $500M valuation in Sequoia-led deal amid rush for robot training data

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Mecka AI, a startup that collects and analyzes human motion data to train humanoid robots and other robotics, is nearing a new round led by Sequoia Capital at a valuation of about $500 million, according to two people with knowledge of the deal.

The new financing comes just three months after Mecka announced that it raised $60 million in a round led by Framework Ventures that included participation from Menlo Ventures, SV Angel, and Kindred Ventures.

TechCrunch has not learned the precise size of the new round. The terms of the deal are not final and could still change.

Mecka AI didn’t respond to a request for comment. Sequoia declined to comment.

Mecka AI was co-founded in 2024 by four entrepreneurs, including Canadians Josh Gao and Mogen Cheng, who previously built a restaurant fintech startup, and Jason Chong, who joined Coinbase after it acquired his crypto exchange. Duy Nguyen, the only non-Canadian on the team, focuses on operations at Mecka.

The four co-founders don’t have backgrounds in robotics. But they did recognize that there was a dearth of physical-world data and realized that capturing real-world interactions was the primary bottleneck holding back general-purpose robots, including humanoids.

Mecka, which derives its name from “mecha,” a fictional giant robot controlled by humans, set out to do for robotics what Scale AI, Mercor, Surge, and other human data companies have done for LLMs. The startup pays people to record themselves performing everyday tasks — like making coffee or fixing cars — using body sensors and smartphones.

As of early June, Mecka was projecting that it would end 2026 at an annual run rate of $100 million, Gao told Fortune when the startup announced its previous fundraise.

While Mecka AI hasn’t publicly disclosed its customer list, many robotics companies and AI labs rely on real-world data captured through this “egocentric” approach, alongside other physical data collection methods like teleoperation, to build their models.

Other startups collecting real-world data for robot training include XDOF, which TechCrunch reported last week was nearing a new round at a $1.2 billion valuation, as well as human-data platforms expanding beyond LLMs, such as Scale AI and Micro1.

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Exercise patience, vote for liberation – Showunmi tells non-indigenes, hunters

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A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State, Segun Showunmi, has urged non-indigenes and hunters in the state to exercise patience and vote for liberation in the 2027 presidential election.

Showunmi, who is the Convener of The Alternative Movement, said the 2027 election should be seen as an election of liberation where all votes must go to President Bola Tinubu.

He spoke on Saturday in Abeokuta during a meeting with members of non-indigene associations and hunters’ groups drawn from across the state.

The PDP chieftain told the groups, comprising Igbo, Igede, Tiv, Calabar and Edo communities, that their patience and political maturity would pave the way for an Igbo presidency in the future.

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“Our people have been very fair to the Igbos. The only thing remaining is that Presidency, but nobody can get Presidency by fighting every time. Just calm down. Very, very soon, we will carry an Igbo man and put him in that Villa.”

He said if the South-West, South-South, South-East and North-Central give Tinubu overwhelming votes, it would send a strong message that no region is more important than the other.

“The only way to do that is to use the 2027 election to make a strong statement that nobody is more important than another person in this country,” he said.

He described non-indigenes as the “Ogun Tribe” and said they remain central to the commerce and development of the state, promising to always stand by them whenever they are maltreated.

Showunmi urged them to mobilise massively across Ogun Central, Ogun East and Ogun West and deliver bloc votes for Tinubu.

According to him, Ogun State must deliver close to 2.5 million votes for Tinubu to demonstrate the political strength of the South-West, stressing that winning alone is not enough, but the margin of victory must be loud enough to prove that zoning must be respected by all regions.

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Chief Moses Nwan, f.hcd, mni, PhD, celebrates His Royal Highness, The SUM Pyam.

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70 GLORIOUS YEARS OF A PEACEFUL AND PURPOSEFUL REIGN

By Mapis Jonathan Mawares (3rd October, 2026)

Today, the entire Pyam Chiefdom, Mangu Local Government, Plateau State, and beyond gather in joyous celebration to honor a great King, a father to all, and a guardian of our rich cultural heritage—His Royal Highness, The Sum Pyam and Chairman, Pyam Chiefdom Traditional Council—as he commemorates his 70th Birthday Anniversary.

Your Royal Highness,

Your 70 years on earth are 70 years of grace, wisdom, impact, and extraordinary service to humanity. Since ascending your revered throne, you have redefined kingship through humility, peace, justice, and reverence for God.

Under your wise guidance, Pyam Chiefdom continues to symbolize unity, peace, and progress. You are a unifier, a man of integrity, and a royal father whose counsel is valued widely.

At 70, you have not only extended years to your life but also enhanced the life, honor, and dignity of the traditional institution in Plateau State. Your legacy of good governance, love for your people, and dedication to development will be remembered forever.

On this milestone occasion of your Platinum Jubilee, we pray:

May God grant you long life, good health, divine wisdom, and endless joy. May your reign be longer, more peaceful, and more prosperous. May Pyam Chiefdom continue to thrive under your caring leadership.

Congratulations

Signed : Chief Moses Nwan, f.hcd, mni, PhD.

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