Part Pixar, Part Roomba: Meet Moxie, the Pasadena-Built Learning Robot for Children

Rachel Uranga

Rachel Uranga is dot.LA's Managing Editor, News. She is a former Mexico-based market correspondent at Reuters and has worked for several Southern California news outlets, including the Los Angeles Business Journal and the Los Angeles Daily News. She has covered everything from IPOs to immigration. Uranga is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism and California State University Northridge. A Los Angeles native, she lives with her husband, son and their felines.

Part Pixar, Part Roomba: Meet Moxie, the Pasadena-Built Learning Robot for Children

Wide-eyed and sweet, meet Moxie, the $1,500 robot for children.

The creators of the one-foot tall emotive machine want Moxie to become your child's newest companion. Geared toward autistic children, the company believes Moxie embodies "the very best of humanity" in a form of technology that fuels learning.

"What we are trying to do with this product is to amp up the benefit of social or, if you like, emotional intelligence," said its creator Paolo Pirjanian. "I want every child to be able to access this."


Over the last four years, Pirjanian, the former chief technology officer at iRobot, and his team of therapists, designers and engineers at Pasadena-based Embodied built a battery-powered creature that makes eye contact, reads facial expressions and converses with children. Pirjanian eventually hopes to develop these robots for older adults in isolation or those with Alzheimer's or dementia.

The venture-backed company has raised $34 million in the process, securing money from the funds of big name companies looking to bring artificial intelligence into our everyday lives including Amazon, Intel and Toyota.

"What Paolo has built with the team at Embodied is a new way for humans and machines to interact that involves emotional intelligence, emotional awareness and really tries to infuse humanity into a field of machines," said Jason Schoettler an investor and co-founder of Calibrate Ventures. "This is not an evolution in my view, this is a revolutionary step forward."

Moxie Makes eye contact, reads facial expressions and converses with children. Image courtesy of Embodied

The robot looks less like Stars Wars C-3PO than a character out of a Pixar movie with giant green eyes, rosy cheeks and a round head. It's pre-programed lessons are intended to guide children through development with discussions about feelings and relationships- difficult areas for children with autism to navigate.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 54 U.S. children have autism spectrum disorder, a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes interaction and communication challenging.

Researchers have become increasingly interested in the use of so-called social robots to help children with autism develop social skills.

"The robot actually does personalize its interactions for that particular child over time using machine learning," Pirjanian said. "The data that we are collecting will potentially help the healthcare community to have better insights into what techniques work for what kind of a child, because it has to be individualized for every single child."

But such personal data can become prey for hackers. Pirjanian said there's sufficient protections. The robot's information is encrypted and can only be unlocked by a parent's unique key. It's also audited by Privo for compliance with regulations governing children's online protection.

In a six-week study conducted by Embodied, their researchers found Moxie improved eye contact, self-esteem and emotional regulations for school-aged children with autism after regularly interacting with the robot. But, the company's study is of a small sample size and may not actually reflect real life outcomes.

Moxie the Robot: AI for Autistic Childrenwww.youtube.com

Other companies have sought to jump into the market.

SoftBank Robotics has bankrolled NAO, an educational robot that sells a version aimed at autistic children for about $17,000. RoboKind, a Texas-based robotics company built Milo, a $6,500 robot for autistic children that includes plus a $3,500 subscription fee. Both have versions that are aimed at the wider $3.9 billion educational robotics market that includes bots that teach STEM. But the market has yet to really take hold.

Moxie could change that and it could shake up the $20.4 billion consumer robotics market. The company opened up its site for pre-orders this week and will give customers access to a full-year subscription which includes so-called behavioral analytics and new content that includes "missions," which are often task or challenges that Moxie presents to children.

John Lee, a partner at JAZZ Ventures and investor in the company, said that he found the technology intriguing because it really improved people's lives. Parents with autistic children often struggle with diagnosis and learning how to guide their children toward resources.

"Embodied's mission is to build socially and emotionally intelligent companions that promote positive social skill building in children," he said in an email. "This might open up people's minds to how technology can be used in a positive way and, perhaps, that opens up new products that address other markets."

Maja Mataric is a pioneer in the field of social robotics who was one of Embodied's original co-founders but is no longer associated with the company. Mataric, who holds shares in the company, declined to state why the two parted ways.

But, she said one of the biggest challenges that companies like Embodied face is having the ability to test the robot fully to see if it offers true therapeutic benefits to children.

"Companies usually need to spin out a product in just a couple to three years. That's the startup money that they have. A clinical study altogether will take two to three years just to conduct. So there's no time," she said.

Still, she said robots hold promise. Earlier this year Mataric, the founding director of University of Southern California's Robotics and Autonomous Systems Center was a co-author on a study looking at the ability of robots to improve development for autistic children using the technology at home. In the study, Mataric and her team at USC left Kiwi, a social robot that gauges child interest and tailors response, at the homes of 17 autistic children for a month. The bot played space-themed math games and offered personal feedback. At the end of intervention, all improved math skills while 92% improved social skills.

Researchers have become increasingly interested in the use of so-called social robots to help children with autism develop social skills.Courtesy of Embodied

Still, she said there hasn't been wide scale studies on the use of robotics in the home.

"Robots are not aspirin," she said. "What happens in the worst case scenario? What happens in the best case scenario?"

"Sometimes the best case scenario could be the worst case scenario, right? What if the robot is so effective that the child adores it, but they adore it so much that they don't play with anyone else," she said. "Those are the kinds of things, one has to worry about."

The idea for the company can be traced back to Pirjanin's own experiences. Born in Iran, the Armenian Christian fled to Denmark after the Revolution as a teenager. Feeling lost and behind in his studies, Pirjanin eventually bought a computer and became enthralled with its possibilities after seeing a documentary on Pixar Animation Studios.

"I was fascinated. 'How can a computer this simple create something so lifelike?'" he said to himself. "It drew me into technology. I followed that curiosity."

He got a PhD there and moved to California to help develop robots for exploration on Mars at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. From there, he went on to work with Idealab founder Bill Gross where he eventually helped develop a visual navigation technology that was the foundation of his company Evolution Robotics.

That company was bought in 2012 by iRobot, maker of the self-driven Roomba vacuum, for $74 million and he became the company's chief technology officer. iRobot, which last year recorded selling its 30 millionth robot, is arguably one of the few companies that has successfully mass marketed robots, a useful background for somebody attempting to convince parents that their children need robots to develop emotional skills.

Pirjanian said he left the company because he felt he hadn't been doing the work that had originally sparked his imagination. Embodied, he said, was a way to bring all the skills he had learned as a roboticist from machine learning to natural language processing to life. At first he eyed building a robot for the elderly, but learned about the benefits it was having on children.

Children who have social emotional and cognitive challenges were seeing benefits from a robot companion that improved their chances in society, he said.

"I knew very well this was a complete moonshot," Pirjanian said. "It's been a challenge but we are finally ready to launch."

Do you have a story that needs to be told? My DMs are open on Twitter @racheluranga. You can also email me.

https://twitter.com/racheluranga
rachel@dot.la
The New Face of Live Shopping: Whatnot’s $5B Journey

🔦 Spotlight

Hello Los Angeles,

This week has been a challenging one for many in our city as we continue to face the aftermath of the recent wildfires. Recovery efforts are in full swing, and as always, the strength and resilience of our community shine through.

If you or someone you know has been impacted, there are resources available to help navigate this difficult time:

  • Pacific Palisades Fire Damage Maps: View here

These tools can provide support, whether you’re looking for financial assistance, housing resources, or updates on affected areas.

While our community focuses on recovery, we’re also reminded of what makes LA unique: its unrelenting drive to build, create, and innovate. A great example this week comes from Whatnot, the live shopping platform co-founded in 2019 by Grant LaFontaine and Logan Head, which has just achieved a major milestone.

Whatnot announced it raised $265 million in Series E funding, valuing the company at an impressive $5 billion.

For those unfamiliar, Whatnot combines shopping and entertainment through live-streamed auctions. Think of it as a vibrant, interactive marketplace where sellers showcase everything from trading cards and collectibles to fashion items, all in real time. Buyers can bid during the stream, creating a sense of excitement and connection that feels more personal than traditional online shopping.

The company’s new funding—co-led by Greycroft, DST Global, and Avra Capital—will drive expansion into markets like Australia and bring improvements to seller tools, from inventory management to advanced analytics. But what stands out most is Whatnot’s focus on its people. CEO Grant LaFontaine announced plans to buy back $72 million in shares for long-term employees, a move that underscores the company’s dedication to sharing its success.

As we move forward, let’s celebrate stories like these that show how innovation thrives in LA—even amid challenges. Whether it’s supporting wildfire recovery, building the next great startup, or simply connecting with others, we each play a role in shaping the spirit of our city.


🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

  • Phase Four, a leader in advanced in-space propulsion systems, announced the first close of its Series C funding round, securing nearly 60% of the target raise, led by Artemis Group Capital, to ramp up production of its Valkyrie Hall Effect Thrusters to at least 250 units annually and develop cutting-edge propulsion technologies for defense and national security needs. - learn more
  • Proper, a next-generation supplement brand launched by fitness entrepreneur Amanda Kloots, secured investment from Ben Bennett's Beauty Accelerator, The Center, to redefine the supplement industry with innovative, nutrient-focused wellness solutions tailored for modern lifestyles. - learn more
LA Venture Funds
  • Sound Ventures participated in a $17M funding round for Reshop, a platform simplifying the returns process for consumers and merchants, with plans to use the funds to enhance their technology and expand their services. - learn more
  • LFX Venture Partners participated in a $30M strategic funding round for Shippeo, a Paris-based company specializing in real-time multimodal supply chain transportation visibility; the funds will support Shippeo's global expansion, particularly across North America and the Asia-Pacific region. - learn more
  • Amboy Street Ventures participated in a $15M Series A+ funding round for Granata Bio, a biotechnology company focused on developing advanced gene therapies; the proceeds will be used to accelerate the development of their pipeline and expand their research capabilities. - learn more
  • BAM Ventures participated in a $700,000 seed funding round for MX Locker, an online marketplace for buying and selling motocross gear and parts; the company plans to use the proceeds to enhance its platform and expand its user base. - learn more
  • Crosscut Ventures participated in a $7.15M seed funding round for SoloPulse, an Atlanta-based company developing advanced radar technology; the funds will be used to enhance their product development and expand market reach. - learn more
  • Starburst Ventures participated in Loft Orbital’s $170M Series C funding round, bringing the San Francisco-based satellite infrastructure provider’s total capital raised to $280 million, with the funds aimed at accelerating their "condosat" missions to simplify and expand access to space. - learn more
  • Overture VC participated in a $100M Series B funding round for Harbinger, a Southern California-based electric vehicle company specializing in medium-duty EVs; the funds will be used to accelerate the production of their electric vehicle platforms. - learn more
  • Muse Capital and Time BioVentures participated in an $18M Series A funding round for Conceivable Life Sciences, a New York-based biotech company developing the world's first AI-powered automated IVF lab; the funds will support their ongoing commercial pilot program in Mexico City and preparations for a U.S. launch targeted for early 2026. - learn more
  • B Capital Group participated in a $25M Series B funding round for Labviva, a Boston-based AI-driven procurement platform for life sciences; the funds will be used to accelerate product development, enhance marketing and customer support, and expand internationally. - learn more
  • Focalpoint Partners participated in a seed funding round for Kerna Labs, a San Francisco-based AI biotechnology company focused on advancing mRNA payload design for new therapies, with the funds supporting operational expansion and development efforts. - learn more

LA Exits

  • Intracom Systems, a pioneer in software-based communication solutions, has been acquired by IPC, a global leader in trading communications technology, to enhance IPC's SaaS communications offerings for the financial services industry. - learn more
  • Adexa, a provider of advanced supply chain planning solutions, has been acquired by Eyelit Technologies to enhance its Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) offerings and expand its market presence. - learn more
  • Caramel, a platform specializing in simplifying online vehicle transactions, has been acquired by eBay to enhance its offerings for secure and streamlined automotive buying and selling experiences. - learn more
  • ImaginAb, a biotechnology company specializing in antibody-based imaging and therapeutic solutions, has been acquired by Telix Pharmaceuticals to expand its next-generation therapeutic assets and biologics technology platform. - learn more
  • Sleepypod, a global leader in crash-test-certified safety harnesses and carriers for pets, has been acquired by Paw Prosper to enhance its commitment to pet well-being and expand its portfolio of innovative pet safety solutions. - learn more

Download the dot.LA App

Standing Together Through the Flames

🔦 Spotlight

To our Los Angeles family,

This week’s wildfires have brought immense pain and hardship to our beloved city. Many of our friends, neighbors, and colleagues have faced evacuations, power outages, and the devastating loss of homes and livelihoods. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy.

At dot.LA, we want to express our deepest sympathy to those suffering in this moment. We see your resilience and stand with you during this challenging time. This community has always been defined by its strength and compassion, and now is the time to come together in support.

If You or Someone You Know Has Been Impacted, Resources Are Available:

Evacuation Shelters:

  • Calvary Community Church: 5495 Via Rocas, Westlake Village, CA 91362
  • Ritchie Valens Recreation Center: 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Pacoima, CA 91331
  • Pan Pacific Recreational Center: 7600 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
  • Westwood Recreation Center: 1350 Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025
  • Pasadena Civic Auditorium: 300 East Green Street, Pasadena, CA 91101
  • Pomona Fairplex: 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768
  • Stoner Recreation Center: 1835 Stoner Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Animal Shelters:

Small Animals:

  • Agoura Animal Care Center: 29525 Agoura Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301
  • Baldwin Park Animal Care Center: 4275 Elton St, Baldwin Park, CA 91706
  • Carson Animal Care Center: 216 W Victoria St, Gardena, CA 90248
  • Downey Animal Care Center: 11258 Garfield Ave, Downey, CA 90242
  • Lancaster Animal Care Center: 5210 W Ave I, Lancaster, CA 93536
  • Palmdale Animal Care Center: 38550 Sierra Hwy, Palmdale, CA 93550

Large Animals:

  • Pomona Fairplex: 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona
  • Industry Hills Expo: 16200 Temple Ave, City of Industry, CA 91744
  • Antelope Valley Fair: 2551 W Avenue H, Lancaster, CA 93536
  • Los Angeles Equestrian Center: 480 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91506
  • Pierce College Equestrian Center: 7100 El Rancho Dr, Woodland Hills, CA 91371

Disaster Relief Information:

  • LA County Assessor: Information for property owners and FAQs about disaster relief.

Mental Health Support:

  • Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health: Crisis counseling and support for those affected. Access services through their website or call their hotline at (800) 854-7771.

Temporary Housing Support:

  • Airbnb: In partnership with 211 LA, offering free temporary housing for displaced residents. Spaces are limited; complete the form to be notified of availability.

Transportation Support:

  • Uber: Use promo code WILDFIRE25 for 2 free rides up to $40 each to/from active shelters.
  • Lyft: Code CAFIRERELIEF25 offers 2 rides up to $25 each for up to 500 riders, valid until 1/15.
  • Metro: Fare collection is suspended systemwide.

Staying Informed:

  • Watch Duty App: Provides real-time wildfire tracking, evacuation warnings, and updates.
  • Los Angeles Fire Department Alerts: Visit their website for the latest information on fire status and safety guidelines.

Safety Precautions:

  • Ready, Set, Go!: Personal Wildfire Action Plan by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

To those in our community who are volunteering, donating, or offering aid in any form—thank you. Your efforts embody the spirit of LA: strong, compassionate, and unstoppable.

At dot.LA, we’re committed to amplifying stories of resilience and support. If you’ve seen inspiring acts of kindness or have resources to share, please let us know. Together, we can shine a light on the incredible ways this community is stepping up during these trying times.

In the days ahead, let’s hold tight to the bonds that unite us and remember that we are stronger together. The fires may scar the land, but they cannot dim the collective spirit of Los Angeles.

We’re here for you, and we’re with you.

    Download the dot.LA App

    A Strong Finish to 2024 for LA Tech: Crosscut Ventures Leads the Way

    🔦 Spotlight

    Happy Friday LA!

    As we close the book on 2024, Los Angeles has had a remarkable year in tech and venture capital. From groundbreaking funding rounds to industry-defining innovations, the city’s tech ecosystem has showcased its ability to adapt and thrive. Among the year’s final highlights was the announcement that Crosscut Ventures, one of LA’s premier early-stage venture capital firms, has added Jon Ylvisaker as its newest Partner.

    Crosscut Ventures’ Bold New Direction

    Announced in late December, Jon Ylvisaker’s appointment reflects Crosscut Ventures’ commitment to advancing its focus on the energy transition. Ylvisaker brings decades of experience in driving investments in energy technologies and digital infrastructure. As the founding partner and managing director of Yield Capital Partners, he led investments in startups and established companies shaping the future of sustainability. At Wolfacre Global Management, a Tiger Management hedge fund, he further honed his expertise in supporting impactful climate-focused solutions.

    Brian Garrett, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Crosscut Ventures, said, “Jon's extensive experience in climate and digital infrastructure investments, coupled with his impressive track record of bringing groundbreaking technologies to market, makes him the ideal partner to help lead our focus.”

    Since its founding in 2008, Crosscut has played a key role in shaping LA’s tech landscape. Ylvisaker’s addition reinforces the firm’s commitment to addressing global challenges like energy transition and sustainability, further solidifying its leadership in venture capital innovation.

    What’s Next for LA Tech in 2025

    The momentum from 2024 has set the stage for an even bigger year ahead. Entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators in LA are poised to take on new challenges and create meaningful change across industries.

    As we step into 2025, we want to thank everyone who helped make 2024 such a standout year. Here’s to another year of progress, innovation, and success. From all of us at dot.LA, Happy New Year!

    🤝 Venture Deals

    LA Companies

    • First Resonance, a company specializing in digital manufacturing software through its ION Factory OS, has raised a $20M funding round led by Third Prime with participation from Blue Bear Capital and others. This brings its total funding to $36M and will be used to accelerate product development, grow its customer base, and enhance support for advanced manufacturing sectors like aerospace, robotics, and clean energy. - learn more
    LA Venture Funds
    • Finality Capital Partners led a $17M Seed funding round for ChainOpera AI, a California-based company developing blockchain networks for AI-powered agents and applications, to accelerate product development, expand its team and enhance its blockchain and AI integration capabilities. - learn more

    LA Exits

    • Thirteen Lune, an inclusive beauty e-commerce platform, has been acquired by SNR Capital, marking a significant milestone in the platform's mission to amplify underrepresented beauty brands while fueling its next stage of growth. - learn more
    • Ergobaby, a leading brand in juvenile products known for its high-quality baby carriers, has been acquired by Highlander Partners. The acquisition aims to bolster Ergobaby’s growth, expand its product offerings, and strengthen its position in the parenting solutions market. - learn more

    Download the dot.LA App

    RELATEDEDITOR'S PICKS
    Trending