Konnex raises $15M for RoboFi
Konnex raised $15M to build RoboFi, a blockchain marketplace where robots and drones bid for tasks, verify work with 'Proof of Physical Work' (PoPW), and get stablecoin payments — targeting logistics, agriculture, and manufacturing. The pitch mixes on‑device verification with crypto payments, signaling investor appetite for marketplace models that monetize physical robotics services.
Konnex announced siliconangle.com a $15 million strategic funding round on January 15, 2026, with participation from Cogitent Ventures, Liquid Capital, Leland Ventures, Covey, M77 Ventures and Block Maven LLC. Jon Ollwerther said roboticsandautomationnews.com the company is targeting a roughly $25 trillion "physical work" market and framed Konnex as a platform that lets autonomous systems be contracted and scaled with software‑like fluidity. The project’s technical docs describe a Proof of Physical Work flow where robots upload compact sensor bundles—GPS traces, telemetry logs and end‑state photos—and independent validators verify those bundles before on‑chain escrows are released or deposits are slashed. docs.konnex.world Konnex’s protocol separates roles: network fees and governance run in a KNX token while job escrows and safety deposits are held in stablecoins, and validators must post KNX plus stablecoin assurance to participate in verification. docs.konnex.world Company materials list strategic advisors including Brandon Torres Declet (current CEO of Exyn Technologies) and Lucas Van Oostrum, a multi‑robot coordination pioneer who co‑founded Nova Sky Stories, signaling access to drone and swarm expertise. crypto-reporter.com The $15M, the company states, will be used to expand the platform, add hardware integrations and mature on‑chain verification protocols, and Konnex lists its legal base in the British Virgin Islands while maintaining U.S. staff. menafn.com
