Japan’s ugo has secured ¥1 billion in debt financing from Mizuho Bank, the Bank of Yokohama and Japan Finance Corporation, providing fresh capital for its semi-humanoid robot program and Physical AI development. Announced on October 21, the financing brings the Tokyo-based company’s cumulative funding to approximately ¥5 billion, according to ugo. The company did not disclose interest rates, repayment terms or the amount provided by each lender.
The money will support development of AI models capable of interpreting industrial environments and selecting actions, alongside preparations to manufacture ugo Nova at scale. Introduced in September, Nova is a Japanese-made semi-humanoid platform intended to expand the range of tasks that ugo’s robots can perform. The company is also developing services that connect robot hardware, operational data and model training, with manufacturing among its target markets.
The funding announcement follows a separate product launch on October 20. ugo introduced the mini G2, an updated autonomous inspection robot with support for an optional optical-zoom camera, additional sensors and connections for edge-AI equipment. Advance orders opened that day, with deliveries scheduled to begin November 24. Some advertised functions are not yet available: the ultrasonic-sensor safety feature is planned for a software update in 2027 or later.
ugo already has a commercial foothold in facility inspection and security. Its original ugo mini surpassed 100 cumulative shipments by March 2026, with deployments spanning industrial plants, data centers and other facilities. For the G2, the company says it has established a domestic contract-manufacturing arrangement to support supply across multiple sites.
That existing business provides a base for the more demanding Nova project, but the distinction between funding production capacity and producing robots matters. ugo has not announced Nova manufacturing volumes, customer orders or a firm delivery timetable. The ¥1 billion package is bank borrowing rather than an equity investment, and no new company valuation was disclosed.
