Coupang Invests $84M in Global AI Startups Over 3 Years, Backs Korean Robotics Firm Contoro

Gate News message, April 15 — Coupang, South Korea's e-commerce giant, announced on April 14 that it has invested $84 million in global artificial intelligence startups over the past three years, including ventures in Korea. The announcement was made by Harold Rogers, Coupang's interim CEO, during a speech at the Semaphore World Economy conference in Washington, D.C.

A flagship investment is Korean AI robotics startup Contoro, in which Coupang participated in a $12 million Series A funding round. Coupang is piloting Contoro's AI-powered autonomous robotic arms in its logistics facilities across Korea and other regions. The robotic arms, equipped with suction technology, can handle packages of varying sizes and weights with a 99% success rate and are capable of remote control by combining AI with human intelligence. Contoro has also developed tools that allow large language models to directly interact with robots, enabling them to learn new tasks and self-diagnose performance changes. Coupang is providing operational expertise and knowledge to enhance Contoro's technology for Korea's logistics environment.

Beyond Contoro, Coupang invested in SBVA's Alpha Korea Fund in 2023 to support 20 Korean startups' global expansion, backed robotics firm CMES and U.S. tech startup Tempo, and participated in South Korea's government-led "Next Unicorn Project" with a 75 billion won investment. Coupang stated it has invested billions of dollars across its global operations in AI, machine learning, advanced robotics, smart logistics, and cloud computing.