Fundraising Fox

Asimov

YC W26

San Francisco, US · Founded 2026 · 3 employees · Hiring · 4 known investors

Find your way into Asimov

205 people in our graph share verified history with the Asimov team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Dana Oshirounlockedknows Lyem Ningthou · together at University of California, Berkeley (overlapped)
×9knows the team · via University of California, Berkeley
×2knows the team · via USDA

Asimov collects real-world human activity data at scale from diverse environments to create annotated datasets for training robotics AI models. The company operates both as a data collection platform where individuals earn money for recording their activities and as a service for businesses whose workers perform physical tasks, offering zero-cost labor in exchange for recording data.

Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureRoboticsUnited States of AmericaAmerica / CanadaFully Remote

Founders & leadership· Y Combinator alumni (W26)

Asimov was founded in 2026 by Lyem Ningthou.

LNLyem Ningthou
Lyem Ningthouin𝕏FounderLyem Ningthou previously worked in defense technology robotics research and now leads Asimov, which develops data infrastructure for humanoid robotics systems.

Investors · 4

Y CombinatorSan Francisco · $500K
AME Cloud VenturesreportedPalo Alto · $1M – $10M
Andreessen HorowitzreportedMenlo Park · $500K – $50M
Casdin CapitalreportedNew York

Competitors · 3

by search overlap
Amogy4 shared keywordsAmogy develops patented ammonia cracking technology that converts ammonia into electric power for hydrogen fuel cells and engines, targeting decarbonization of heavy industries including transportation and maritime. The company offers modular ammonia-to-power systems and high-efficiency catalysts as alternatives to diesel and hydrogen fuel solutions.
Goodreads4 shared keywordsGoodreads is a social platform for readers to track books, share reviews with friends, and get personalized book recommendations from a recommendation engine. It serves book readers looking to discover new titles and discuss reading.
Pillar3 shared keywordsLatent Labs develops AI tools for drug discovery and design, enabling biotech and pharmaceutical companies to accelerate therapeutic molecule identification. The platform democratizes access to advanced generative AI models, reducing the need for in-house AI development capabilities.

Companies competing with Asimov for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.

In the news

16 of the most interesting startups from YC W26 Demo Daytechcrunch.com · Mar 2026This AI Startup Raised $4.6 Billion Without Releasing a Model. Now It Wants $2.5 Billion More. | by Krupesh Raut | Mar, 2026 | Mediummedium.com · Mar 2026Asimov 🤖: On demand human intelligence for robotsycombinator.com · Mar 2026SFWA Raises Alarm About Analog/Asimov's "Moral Rights" In Their Standard Contractsfandompulse.substack.com · Jul 2025Genetic Circuits Startup Asimov Raises Seed Round Led by Andreessen Horowitz | by Asimov | Mediummedium.com · Mar 2019Asimov Raises $4.7M in Seed Funding - FinSMEsfinsmes.com · Dec 2017

Frequently asked questions

What does Asimov do?
Asimov collects real-world human activity data at scale from diverse environments to create annotated datasets for training robotics AI models. The company operates both as a data collection platform where individuals earn money for recording their activities and as a service for businesses whose workers perform physical tasks, offering zero-cost labor in exchange for recording data.
Who founded Asimov?
Asimov was founded by Lyem Ningthou in 2026.
Who are Asimov's investors?
Asimov's investors include Y Combinator, AME Cloud Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Casdin Capital.
Where is Asimov headquartered?
Asimov is headquartered in San Francisco, US.