Norway's 1X to raise $1B

PLUS: Trump turns to robot tariffs

AuthorAuthor

Jennifer Mossalgue & Rowan Cheung
September 25, 2025

Good morning, robotics enthusiasts. Norwegian robotics startup 1X is chasing a $10B valuation with a monster $1B raise to bring its knit-wearing humanoid, NEO, into your living room.

Backed by OpenAI, the company is stepping out of the lab and into real homes to answer the only question that matters: not if robots are coming, but whether they'll actually be useful once they get there.

In today’s robotics rundown:

  • 1X eyes $1B raise for $10B valuation

  • Trump targets robotics in tariff push

  • Pill-shaped robot samples your gut

  • Alibaba gets Nvidia’s Physical AI stack

  • Quick hits on other robotics news

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

1X

Image source: 1X

The Rundown: Norwegian robotics startup 1X is swinging for the fences with a massive $1B funding round, reports The Information, setting its sights on a $10B valuation that would push it into the ranks of tech’s top-funded robotics startups. 

The details:

  • The funding round would position 1X among the world’s best-funded humanoid startups, rivaling Figure AI and Tesla’s Optimus ambitions.

  • Heavy hitters like OpenAI, Tiger Global, and Samsung have already thrown their weight behind the company, contributing to a recent $100M+ raise.

  • 1X is transitioning from controlled testing to widespread home trials, where messy reality will determine if its NEO humanoid is ready for prime time.

  • The capital will be used to ramp up NEO’s production, enable large-scale home trials, and advance the AI powering its embodied learning systems.

Why it matters: While Tesla grabs headlines and Figure chases factory floors, 1X is betting that the real prize lies in domestic spaces where humans actually live. If they nail the home market first — navigating the kid/pet chaos that would break lesser bots — every other robotics company will be playing catch-up in a game that's already over.

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TRADE WARS

Image source: Reve / The Rundown

The Rundown: Robotics is the latest front in Washington’s escalating trade battles, with the Trump administration launching national security investigations into imported robots, industrial machinery, and medical devices.

The details:

  • These probes are being carried out under the same “Section 232” law previously used to impose tariffs on steel, aluminum, copper, and autos. 

  • Officials argue that the U.S. is becoming too dependent on foreign-made robotics and automation systems, particularly from China and Europe.

  • For robotics, the move could affect core components such as robotic arms, vision systems, and motion-control technology, much of which is imported.

  • The policy could reshape global robotics supply chains, incentivizing firms to localize production or relocate manufacturing bases to avoid tariff exposure.

Why it matters: Tariffs on imported robotics could drive up costs, slow adoption, and stall innovation at a pivotal moment for AI-driven automation. However, supporters counter that the investigations are a chance to rewire supply chains, cut dependence on foreign suppliers, and redefine America’s robotics future.

MEDICAL ROBOTS

Image source: Ideogram / The Rundown

The Rundown: Chinese researchers just developed a swallowable robot capsule that navigates through your digestive system using magnetic guidance, collecting fluid samples for diagnosis. No scopes, no surgery — just swallow and wait. 

The details:

  • The capsule contains tiny pumps and scraping tools activated by precisely calibrated magnetic fields applied from outside the body.

  • At under 20mm, this soft, biocompatible capsule moves through intestinal passages without causing damage.

  • Unlike passive imaging capsules that just take photos, this device actively hunts down and extracts samples from targeted locations in real time.

  • Advanced sealing technology keeps samples pure as the capsule travels through the digestive tract.

Why it matters: While doctors depend on colonoscopies, endoscopies, and indirect testing methods, this magnetic micro-device could diagnose conditions from early-stage cancers to diseases through simple ingestion. If human trials prove successful, it could transform internal medicine by making diagnostics that much easier.

ALIBABA/NVIDIA

Image source: Creative Commons

The Rundown: Days after Nvidia shook up the chip world with a $5B stake in Intel and a $100B commitment to OpenAI, the GPU powerhouse has inked a partnership with Alibaba to embed its cutting-edge AI robotics stack into China’s largest cloud platform.

The details:

  • The deal integrates Nvidia’s full suite of Physical AI tools into Alibaba Cloud’s AI platform, targeting robotics, autonomous vehicles, and smart spaces.

  • Alibaba will gain access to Nvidia's Omniverse simulation environment, enabling digital twins for factory automation and logistics optimization.

  • The partnership includes joint development of specialized AI chips optimized for robotics applications, potentially challenging established players.

  • Nvidia's Isaac platform will connect millions of IoT devices across Alibaba's warehouses, smart cities, and delivery networks.

Why it matters: While Western rivals face increasing Chinese restrictions, Nvidia is doubling down by embedding its tech into the infrastructure powering Chinese robotics and automation. Success here could make Nvidia indispensable to China's AI-driven industrial transformation, creating dependencies that transcend geopolitical tensions.

QUICK HITS

Unitree’s G1 humanoid now shrugs off repeated kicks and shoves thanks to its new Anti-Gravity mode, instantly regaining balance and standing back up.

Zoox is seeking a federal exemption to commercially launch its custom robotaxis, which operate without pedals or a steering wheel, on U.S. roads.

KAIST, a top science and engineering university in South Korea, developed a next-gen humanoid capable of performing Michael Jackson’s iconic moonwalk.

Universal Robots unveiled a new UR8 Long cobot with a 1750 mm reach and 8 kg payload capacity in a slim, lightweight design.

Sydney startup Alloy is tackling the robotics industry’s data overload with a platform that lets robotics companies organize vast amounts of sensor and camera data.

ABS and Persona AI are partnering to adapt advanced humanoids for shipyard duties, to automate complex tasks like inspections and welding.

U.S.-based K-Scale Labs just delivered their first K-Bot, a U.S.-made open-source humanoid, priced as low as $9K.

The U.S. Coast Guard is investing $350M in robotics and autonomous systems to boost mission performance and operational capabilities throughout its fleet.

COMMUNITY

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