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Robot hand company settles Tesla trade secret suit and announces $11M raise

TechCrunch AI · Jun 29, 2026, 2:00 PM

Key takeaways

  • Jay Li doesn t recommend getting sued by Tesla if you re trying to get a startup off the ground.
  • I think it s kind of like a resilience test, or pressure test, he told Tech Crunch in an exclusive interview.
  • Li, who was a technical lead on Tesla s Optimus humanoid robot program, was accused by his former employer last year of absconding with trade secrets to start Proception.

Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.

Jay Li doesn t recommend getting sued by Tesla if you re trying to get a startup off the ground. But he does think his company, Proception, might be better off for having endured the experience.

I think it s kind of like a resilience test, or pressure test, he told Tech Crunch in an exclusive interview. People say that what doesn t kill you makes you stronger, right?

Li, who was a technical lead on Tesla s Optimus humanoid robot program, was accused by his former employer last year of absconding with trade secrets to start Proception. But after months of trading legal blows, he finally reached a settlement with Tesla, which dismissed the lawsuit earlier this month. (Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.)

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