The creator behind one of the world’s most-used media players is now turning his focus to robotics infrastructure, highlighting the next frontier in AI.
For millions of users all over the world, the familiar orange traffic cone icon of VLC Media Player has long been synonymous with seamless video playback. Much of that experience was shaped by Jean-Baptiste Kempf, the software engineer who helped make VLC one of the most widely used open-source video players worldwide.
Now Kempf is stepping into a very different space, which is robotics. His new startup, Kyber, is building a software layer which is designed to help control robots and drones in real time. The company recently raised $5 million in funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, reflecting growing investor interest in what many are calling the rise of “physical AI.”
Why do robotics need better infrastructure?
Unlike traditional software systems, robotics depends heavily on synchronizing multiple data streams, video, audio, sensor inputs, and movement controls, without delays. Even milliseconds matter.
Kyber’s technology focuses on reducing this latency, creating an infrastructure layer that can improve communication between remote devices and the systems operating them. In practical terms, this could support everything from industrial automation and delivery drones to autonomous machines operating in complex environments. As robotics adoption accelerates globally, the need for stronger backend systems is becoming more urgent. Industry experts increasingly see infrastructure as the missing link in scaling intelligent machines.
The bigger shift toward physical AI.
Kempf’s move reflects a larger trend in the tech industry: the transition of AI from digital applications into the physical world. While generative AI has dominated recent headlines, investors are now paying closer attention to how AI can power machines, logistics, and real-world automation.
The rise of robotics startups, combined with advances in computer vision and low-latency systems, suggests that physical AI could become one of the next major technology cycles. For entrepreneurs like Kempf, the opportunity lies not just in building smarter robots, but in building the invisible systems that make them work.