Figure AI vs Wayve

By valuation, Figure AI is the larger company at $39B versus $8.6B — a 4.5x difference. Size can also be measured by team: Figure AI employs 450 people while Wayve has 100-500 employees.

Wayve has raised more in total funding at $2.8B, compared to Figure AI's $1.9B — a gap of $900M. Combined, the two companies have completed 8 known funding rounds.

It's a dead heat — both Figure AI and Wayve sit at 95/100 on the Awaira Score. That score factors in valuation, funding, stage, headcount, and category.

Figure AI was founded by Brett Adcock in 2022. Wayve was founded by Amar Shah in 2017. Visit each company's profile on Awaira for a full founder biography.

Figure AI: Figure AI is a robotics company founded in 2022 that develops humanoid robots designed for industrial and commercial applications. The company focuses on creating general-purpose robots capable of performing complex physical tasks in real-world environments. Figure AI's primary technology centers on advanced robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning systems that enable autonomous operation and human-robot collaboration. The company has raised $1.9 billion in funding across multiple rounds, achieving a valuation of $39 billion as of its Series C stage, reflecting significant investor confidence in the humanoid robotics sector. This valuation places Figure AI among the most valuable robotics startups globally. The company's approach emphasizes practical deployment in industries facing labor shortages and operational challenges. Figure AI competes in the growing humanoid robotics market alongside companies developing similar technologies. The company's competitive positioning is strengthened by substantial capital resources enabling rapid research and development. Figure AI has demonstrated prototypes and engaged with potential enterprise customers across manufacturing, logistics, and service sectors, though specific customer details remain largely confidential. The company's growth trajectory reflects the broader acceleration in AI-enabled robotics investment. Figure AI's development timeline suggests advancement toward commercial deployment, with the robotics industry expecting increased real-world implementations in the coming years. Figure AI has achieved unicorn status within two years of founding, indicating rapid progress in humanoid robotics commercialization despite the sector's technical complexity. Wayve: Wayve builds embodied AI systems for autonomous driving, developing a data-driven approach that trains neural networks end-to-end from raw sensor inputs to vehicle controls. Founded in Cambridge and headquartered in London, the company focuses on a generalist AI model that can adapt to new environments without hand-coded rules, distinguishing it from traditional autonomous vehicle stacks.\n\nThe company raised a $1 billion Series C round in 2024 led by SoftBank, with participation from Microsoft and NVIDIA, bringing total funding to approximately $1.3 billion. Wayve has deployed test vehicles across London and conducts large-scale data collection partnerships with commercial fleet operators including Asda and Ocado.\n\nWayve competes in a global autonomous vehicle market projected to exceed $500 billion by 2030, positioning itself against Waymo, Cruise, and Mobileye with a fundamentally different AI-first architecture. The company achieved a valuation of approximately $2.8 billion following its Series C and is considered one of the most significant autonomous vehicle startups outside the United States, with backing from some of the largest technology investors globally. Wayve operates in the AI Robotics sector and is headquartered in United Kingdom. Founded in 2017 by Amar Shah, Wayve has raised $2.8B in total funding, achieving a valuation of $8.6B as of its latest round. The company's funding journey includes a Series A of $20M in 2020, a Series B of $200M in 2022, a Series C of $1.1B in 2024. The most recent round was led by SoftBank Vision Fund. With approximately 100-500 employees, Wayve has established itself as a Series D-stage player in the AI Robotics market. The company holds an Awaira Score of 95/100, reflecting its strong position across valuation, funding trajectory, team scale, and market influence. Wayve competes in a rapidly evolving segment alongside other AI Robotics companies. Based in United Kingdom, Wayve is part of a growing international AI ecosystem attracting talent and investment. The AI Robotics space has attracted significant investment in recent years, with companies racing to capture enterprise and consumer demand for AI-powered solutions.

Wayve got there first, launching in 2017 — that's 5 years of extra runway. Figure AI didn't arrive until 2022. In AI, that kind of head start means more training data, deeper customer relationships, and a bigger talent moat.

Figure AI has about 450 employees; Wayve has about 100-500. A bigger team usually means more revenue or heavier VC backing, but in AI, small teams can build at massive scale.

Yes — they're direct rivals. Both Figure AI and Wayve compete in AI Robotics, targeting many of the same buyers. If you're evaluating one, you should be looking at the other.