Humanoid maker Figure eyes $1.5B

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In today’s robotics rundown:

• Figure AI eyes $39.5B valuation

• Meta joins the humanoid race

• Apptronik raises $350M for Apollo bot

• 3D-printed swarm bots to the rescue

• Quick hits on other major news

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

FIGURE

💰 Figure AI eyes $39.5B valuation

The Rundown: Silicon Valley-based Figure AI, which is developing general-purpose humanoids for warehouses, factories, and homes, is negotiating a $1.5B funding round at a $39.5B valuation, according to Bloomberg.

The details:

• The round is expected to be led by Align Ventures and Parkway Venture Capital, with potential participation from other investors.

• The interesting bit here is the valuation. It represents a whopping 15-fold increase from Figure's previous valuation of $2.6B.

• Backed by OpenAI and Microsoft, Figure makes commercial and residential humanoids and has already signed two customers, including BMW.

• Initially, the company used OpenAI’s models, but CEO Brett Adcock recently stated they ended the collaboration for in-house end-to-end robot AI.

Why it matters: Figure is riding high with interest and investments coming from giants like Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, and even Jeff Bezos. Humanoids are a hot ticket, and the potential new valuation, combined with the upcoming technological breakthroughs teased by CEO Brett Adcock, is keeping the entire space on its toes.

META

🤖 Meta joins the humanoid race

The Rundown: Meta is jumping into the red-hot humanoid market by forming a new team within its Reality Labs unit, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg. But, the Facebook owner is going a bit differently about it.

The details:

• Instead of a branded robot, Meta reportedly aims to build the underlying AI, sensors, and software for robots.

• The company is already in talks with humanoid developers like Unitree Robotics and Figure AI, focusing on developing hardware for a household robot.

• The new team will be led by Marc Whitten, former CEO of GM’s now-dropped robotaxi company Cruise.

• Meta has already invested $65 billion into AI and is ramping up plans to sell its Ray-Ban-branded smart glasses.

Why it matters: The move will expand Meta’s investments in AI and maximize the applications of its Llama AI models. The company certainly has the resources to compete against Apple, Nvidia, and Tesla, but its focus on building the foundational hardware and software layer will separate it from the pack.

APPTRONIK

🦿 Apptronik scores $350M for Apollo bot

The Rundown: Austin-based humanoid startup Apptronik raised $350M in a Series A round, with backing from Google, to scale its Apollo robot, designed specifically for physically demanding warehouse jobs.

The details:

• Apptronik has been working with Google’s DeepMind to build robot behavioral models, similar to Boston Dynamics’s deal with Robotics and AI Institute.

• The company has raised $378M since it was founded in 2016 at the University of Texas at Austin’s robotics lab.

• Apollo features linear actuators for joints such as the elbows and knees, which are lower-cost and easier to scale compared to rotary motors and gear trains.

• Apptronik also has pilot agreements with Mercedes-Benz and GXO Logistics and has teamed up with NASA to advance humanoids.

Why it matters: Apptronik is another big player to watch, with nearly a decade of experience compared to relative newcomers Figure, 1X, and Tesla. While the company has yet to move out of the pilot phase with any of its partnerships, we may soon see Apollo handling new jobs, such as in homes or on space missions.

RESEARCH

🔥 3D-printed swarm bots to the rescue

The Rundown: U.S. researchers have designed tiny 3D-printed swarm robots about the size of the palm of your hand that can spread out to investigate wildfire-ravaged areas, conduct search and rescue missions, or clear minefields.

The details:

• A Tufts University research team published a paper in Nature Communications on the rescue capacities of soft-jointed tiny robots built with 3D printers.

• The robots can be printed on a 3D printer in just a few hours, meaning a bank of printers could produce hundreds of bots on demand at low cost.

• They are sturdy enough to be dropped out of a helicopter or run over by a car, plus they can climb up steep inclines and over sand and rocks.

• Their soft joints have a more fluid pattern of motion, making them more adaptable to varied terrain compared to rigid robots.

Why it matters: This opens the door to use cases for 3D printed robots, with the scientists adding that the printers can apply materials of different strengths to create a harder or softer skeletal structure based on need. Plus, tiny swarm bots can take on other jobs like transporting food or relief supplies or tracking biological pests.

QUICK HITS

📰 Everything else in robotics today

Quasi Robotics unveiled Version 2.2 of its Model C2 software, enhancing security, navigation, and performance for autonomous mobile robots.

Australian robotics company FBR’s stocks crashed 49% following a disappointing update related to its U.S. launch plans for the Hadrian X bricklaying robot.

Anthropic is collaborating with the UK government to integrate AI into public services, aiming to improve accessibility and efficiency.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo cites that Apple is focused on developing a humanoid assistant while Apple researchers are developing a tabletop bot.

MIT researchers are helping drones fly in the dark using millimeter waves, paving the way for autonomous drones to shuttle inventory between large warehouses.

Japanese researchers have developed the largest-ever biohybrid hand combining robotics with living human tissues, which holds promise for more advanced prosthetics.

London-based Humanoid offered a first look at its next-gen HMND 01 robot in action, demonstrating its mechanical design, AI integrations, and motion control.  

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Rowan, Jennifer, Joey —The Rundown’s editorial team