Koos Bekker-led Prosus backs humanoid robot startup, Flexion

Prosus N.V., the internet group chaired by South African billionaire Koos Bekker, is investing in Flexion Robotics, a startup developing the intelligence layer for humanoid robots to address the shortage of scalable, high-quality training data.

Flexion recently raised $50 million in a Series A round, led by Prosus Ventures with participation from DST Global Partners, NVentures, Redalpine, and Moonfire Ventures. “Humanoid robots should work alongside humans, not depend on them,” said Nikita Rudin, CEO and co-founder of Flexion Robotics. “We’re not building the body. We’re building the brain. It’s a difficult problem, but solving it will shape the future of robotics.”

Simulation-first learning powers humanoid robots

Flexion uses simulation-based reinforcement learning to let robots accumulate thousands of hours of experience daily in high-fidelity virtual environments—far more than human operators could provide. This accelerates training, reduces costs, and improves real-world performance.

The company was founded by Rudin and David Hoeller, who previously led NVIDIA’s Isaac Lab, the industry standard for simulation-based robotic learning. Flexion has already deployed simulation-trained locomotion models on physical humanoid robots.

Sandeep Bakshi, head of European investments at Prosus Ventures, praised the founders’ expertise. “Nikita and David pioneered simulation-based learning at ETH Zurich and NVIDIA. Their team is among the most qualified worldwide to advance humanoid intelligence.”

Expanding the future of automation

Flexion’s software-first approach addresses industry constraints, including scalable data generation, adaptable control and continuous sim-to-real learning. The partnership with Prosus will support Flexion as it scales globally and expands the applications of humanoid robots.

Prosus, spun off from Naspers in 2019, has grown into one of the world’s leading tech investors, with holdings in fintech, e-commerce, digital media, and education. Bekker owns just under 1 percent of Prosus, a stake valued at €853.62 million ($988.8 million). 

The group recently reported a 99 percent rise in adjusted half-year core profit, driven by strong results across its digital services, including iFood and OLX. Revenue climbed 22 percent to $3.6 billion, while EBITDA reached $423 million, up from $213 million a year earlier.