Elvis Nava (Mimic Robotics)
Overview
Elvis Nava is a prominent figure in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence, notably as the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Mimic Robotics, a startup based in Zurich, Switzerland. Mimic Robotics specializes in creating scalable AI models for robotic manipulation, focusing on robotic hands that achieve dexterous tasks. Nava, who is also a doctoral student in machine learning at ETH Zurich, has been involved in significant research and development efforts in AI, particularly in combining machine learning with robotics. He has contributed to groundbreaking projects aimed at enhancing robotic dexterity using scalable AI models. Under his leadership, Mimic Robotics has emerged as a pioneering force in integrating advanced AI with physical robotic systems.
Recent Developments
In recent years, Elvis Nava and Mimic Robotics have been at the forefront of several notable advancements:
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November 2025: Mimic Robotics secured a $16 million funding round led by Elaia, with contributions from Speedinvest and other investors. This funding aims to enhance the development and deployment of Mimic’s AI models and robotic technologies across various industries, addressing complex, dexterous tasks traditionally performed by humans.
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June 2025: The company published "mimic-one: a Scalable Model Recipe for General Purpose Robot Dexterity" which showcases their approach to achieving robotic dexterity using scalable, high-frequency generative models trained on real-world tasks.
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May 2024: Mimic Robotics was officially launched and raised $2.5 million in pre-seed funding to develop robotic hands with human-like dexterity. This funding round was led by various investors, highlighting the innovative potential of their technology in the robotics landscape.
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January 2024: A significant research paper titled "Vision-Language Models are Zero-Shot Reward Models for Reinforcement Learning" co-authored by Nava was accepted at the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR).
Personal Information
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Elvis Nava |
| Born | Not publicly available |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Co-Founder & CTO, Doctoral Student |
| Known For | Co-founding Mimic Robotics, contributions to AI in robotics |
| Education | Master’s in Data Science (ETH Zurich), Bachelor’s in Computer Science (University of Milan) |
Early Life and Education
Elvis Nava grew up with a keen interest in technology and robotics that guided his educational and career pursuits. He completed his Bachelor’s in Computer Science at the University of Milan, where he first engaged in innovative programming and data-driven projects. Recognizing the potential for advanced studies, he pursued a Master’s degree in Data Science at ETH Zurich, which is renowned for its strong focus on computational and engineering disciplines.
During his academic pursuits, Nava developed a strong foundation in machine learning and algorithmic design, collaborating on several projects that enhanced his practical understanding of robotics. His internship at Oracle Labs further fortified his skills, exposing him to industry environments and challenging problem-solving scenarios. All these experiences laid the groundwork for his future ventures, including his pivotal role at Mimic Robotics.
Career and Notable Achievements
Elvis Nava's professional journey is marked by strategic advancements in robotics and AI:
- Co-Founder and CTO of Mimic Robotics (2024-Present): As a co-founder, Nava has played a critical role in building Mimic Robotics from the ground up, focusing on AI-enhanced robotic manipulation tools.
- Vision-Language Models: Collaborated on an influential paper that integrates AI understanding models with reinforcement learning, showcasing innovative approaches to robotic awareness and decision-making.
- Mimic-One Project: Led the publication of research aiming at scalable robotic dexterity through refined AI models.
- ETH Zurich and Neuroinformatics Group: Innovated in machine learning research as a doctoral candidate, contributing to fields like meta-learning and scalable AI architectures.
- Published numerous papers exploring AI’s role in robotics, including meta-learning and simulation for soft robotics.