Encord

The data infrastructure layer for Physical AI and enterprise teams to annotate, curate, and evaluate multimodal AI data.

Data verified Oct 3, 2026

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About Encord

Encord is a multimodal data infrastructure platform for annotating, curating, and evaluating AI training data across images, video, LiDAR, audio, text, and sensor fusion. It supports the full data pipeline from collection and labeling to model alignment (RLHF, rubric-based evaluation) and deployment feedback, and offers managed data-as-a-service with expert annotators. It is designed for Physical AI and enterprise teams building computer vision and multimodal AI systems. Encord has raised $110M in total disclosed funding (Series C, Dec 2025) and has around 216 employees (Tracxn, verified 2026-10-03).

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Commonly Cited Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

API/SDK-first
Zero data migration
Your data stays in your cloud
Flexibility and infrastructure
300+ of the best AI teams use Encord

Limitations

Navigation and access controls can be challenging for new users, especially non-technical annotators
Latency issues when working with large cloud-hosted datasets, slowing labeling and review throughput
Python SDK has gaps relative to the direct API, creating friction for automated pipelines
Limited personalization for hotkeys and tool settings, and limited ontology/workflow customization
Costs can scale faster than expected and pricing may be high for small teams or startups
No mobile device access
Limited model training capabilities compared to some platforms

Common Use Cases

World Models & VLA
Robotics & Humanoids
Autonomous Vehicles & ADAS
Drones & Aerial Autonomy
Industrial & Manufacturing
Healthcare & Surgical AI
Frontier & Generative AI
Video Intelligence
Defense
Sports AI
Voice AI

Details

Pricing Model: Contact Sales
Founded: 2021
Team Size: 201-500
Headquarters: San Francisco, California, US
Category: Developer Tools

Who is Encord for?

Physical AI teams

Use Encord to manage multimodal sensor data (LiDAR, camera, radar, force/torque) from collection through deployment for robotics, AVs, and drones.

Enterprise AI teams

Use Encord for quality annotation, evaluation, and RLHF on AI models shipped to customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Encord have an API?

Yes, Encord provides an API for developers.

Is Encord cloud-based or self-hosted?

Encord is offered as a cloud-based (SaaS) deployment.

What are the downsides of Encord?

Navigation and access controls can be challenging for new users, especially non-technical annotators Also, Latency issues when working with large cloud-hosted datasets, slowing labeling and review throughput

Who is Encord best for?

Encord is best suited for Physical AI teams, Enterprise AI teams.

What can I use Encord for?

Common uses for Encord include world models & vla, robotics & humanoids, autonomous vehicles & adas, drones & aerial autonomy.

How does Encord compare to IBM API Connect?

Encord and IBM API Connect are both used for developer tools -- specifically dev infrastructure tools. See the full side-by-side comparison for pricing and feature differences.