UTokyo IPC Invests in Robotruck Inc.

UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (UTokyo IPC; President & CEO: Kosuke Ueda) announced today that its Accelerating Open Innovation 1 Investment Limited Partnership (AOI Fund I) has invested ¥150 million in Robotruck Inc. (CEO: Nan Wu), a Tokyo-based startup pioneering autonomous truck solutions for long-distance freight transport.

The investment is made in partnership with the PKSHA Algorithm Fund No.2, co-managed by PKSHA Technology Capital and MK Capital, and AIS CAPITAL Inc. (Co-Representatives: Jian Guo and Minjie Xiao).

 

Founded by Global Leaders in Autonomous Trucking, Tackling Japan’s 2024 Logistics Crisis

Robotruck was founded by Nan Wu, co-founder of TuSimple, a US-based autonomous driving company that made history as the first of its kind to go public and to complete fully driverless truck tests. Wu previously served as a research associate and visiting associate professor at Waseda University and led the development of TuSimple’s autonomous truck systems, including serving as CEO of TuSimple Japan.

Robotruck built upon the foundational experience and engineering expertise accumulated by the team that formerly operated TuSimple’s Japanese team,, which in 2023 achieved a national record for autonomous driving with a 270 km Level 4 test on Japan’s Tomei Expressway. Building on this, Robotruck successfully conducted a 100 km test between two service areas on the Shin-Tomei Expressway (Suruga Bay–Numazu SA and Hamamatsu SA) in February 2025, demonstrating its independently developed core technologies as part of a Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) program to promote mobility DX and autonomous driving development.

 

Accelerating Toward Commercialization with Strategic Partners

UTokyo IPC highly values Robotruck’s globally competitive team and technological leadership. With this investment, UTokyo IPC aims to support the company’s continued development and expansion. Future initiatives include pilot programs with logistics operators, as well as strategic collaboration with infrastructure companies to prepare for large-scale commercialization.

 

Executive Quotes

 

Nan Wu, CEO, Robotruck Inc.

“We are deeply grateful to all those who supported us in this funding round. Building on our cutting-edge autonomous truck technologies and the world-class achievements accumulated during the TuSimple era, we are committed to addressing Japan’s 2024 logistics crisis with a strong sense of urgency.
Through a series of successful tests, we are confident in the real-world applicability of our technology. Looking ahead, we aim to launch operations on the Tokyo–Nagoya route by 2025, expand to Tokyo–Osaka by 2026, and ultimately achieve full driverless operation.
We will focus on building trust and delivering customized development tailored to the needs of logistics operators on the ground. By doing so, we will accelerate the social implementation of autonomous driving and contribute to solving key challenges in the logistics industry.”

 

Takahiro Mizumoto, CIO Partner, UTokyo IPC

“This marks my seventh carve-out investment. We are building on the remarkable achievements of TuSimple’s Japanese team to directly address Japan’s escalating logistics crisis. Robotruck is not just another startup—it’s a bold attempt to redefine core social infrastructure. This mission cannot be achieved by Robotruck or venture capital alone. Success will require collaboration across the entire logistics ecosystem—from freight operators to component manufacturers. We welcome any company interested in the future of autonomous freight to reach out and join this challenge.”

 

About AOI Fund I

AOI Fund I was established in 2020 to promote open innovation around the University of Tokyo. Based on the concept of “startup creation and investment through industry-academia collaboration,” the fund supports the formation of new ventures, corporate carve-outs, and startups leveraging strategic assets in partnership with leading companies across sectors.

 

About Robotruck Inc.

Business: Research, development, and application of autonomous truck technologies
Headquarters: Odanaka Bldg., 1-15-11 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
CEO: Nan Wu
Website: https://robotruck.jp

Contact
UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd.
Entrepreneur Lab 261, South Research Building,
The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL: +81-3-3830-0200 / FAX: +81-3-3830-0183
Email: info2@utokyo-ipc.co.jp
Contact Person: Takahiro Mizumoto