Top-funded humanoid robot startups span across the globe, from the U.S. and Norway to China and Canada, showcasing a broad range of innovations aimed at transforming industries like manufacturing, logistics, and even household tasks.
What sets these companies apart is their focus on tackling labor shortages, improving productivity, and creating general-purpose robots that can seamlessly integrate into human environments. Startups like Figure Robotics and Agility Robotics are revolutionizing logistics with AI-powered humanoids, while companies such as 1X and Zhiyuan Robotics are focusing on household and industrial applications.
Despite different geographies, the common thread among these ventures is their drive to automate monotonous and labor-intensive tasks, aiming to reshape the future of work and daily life through human-like robots.
1. Figure AI (United States)
Figure Robotics is an AI robotics company based in Sunnyvale, California. The company was founded in January 2022 by Brett Adcock, who previously founded Archer and Vettery.
In February 2024, Figure Robotics raised $675 million in Series B funding, bringing their total funding to $854 million. The investors include major tech companies like NVIDIA, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Intel Capital.
The company is developing a multi-purpose humanoid robot called the Figure 02, which is designed to have the dexterity of the human form and leverage cutting-edge AI to take on tasks across manufacturing, logistics, warehousing and retail. The company sees a major opportunity in addressing the growing labor shortages, particularly in manual and repetitive jobs. By developing general-purpose humanoid robots, Figure Robotics aims to automate these types of tasks and transform the labor-based economy. Their goal is to drive down the cost of labor and enable a higher standard of living where people can pursue more purposeful work.
Key technical challenges the company is focused on include system hardware, reducing unit costs through high-volume manufacturing, ensuring safety and developing advanced AI capabilities to enable autonomous operation in complex real-world environments. Figure Robotics is not pursuing military or defense applications for its robots.
2. Agility Robotics (United States)
Founded in 2015, Oregon-based Agility Robotics develops bipedal walking robots designed for efficient and agile real-world applications. These robots feature human-like capabilities, enabling them to work alongside people with minimal programming and adapt to various environments, including offices, factories, and homes while automating tasks across diverse terrains.
Agility Robotics offers Digit, an advanced Mobile Manipulation Robot (MMR) designed for efficient handling in logistics and manufacturing, and Agility Arc, a cloud automation platform that simplifies the management and operation of Digit fleets. Arc accessories enhance Digit’s performance, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient operation.
Agility Robotics’ flagship product, Digit, is designed to navigate and work in existing facilities, addressing challenging and hard-to-automate tasks. Standing at 5’ 9” with a reach of up to 5’ 6” and a carrying capacity of 35 lbs, Digit is equipped with multiple end effectors and charging stations. It is redefining labor across industries by providing efficient, reliable automation in areas where labor shortages are most critical, such as distribution, retail, and eCommerce, enhancing flexibility and productivity in these sectors.
According to Forbes, Peggy Johnson, CEO of Agility Robotics, has had a distinguished career, including being Satya Nadella’s first hire at Microsoft and leading Magic Leap until last year. Now, she heads Agility Robotics, which develops humanoid robots for warehouse operations. Johnson, recognized on Forbes’ “50 Over 50” list, highlights the critical need for such robots due to the over one million unfilled jobs in logistics, underscoring their potential to address this labor gap.
Agility Robotics, based in Oregon, has secured $150 million in funding from DCVC and Playground Global, according to PitchBook. The company has raised $180 million in total funding, according to Forbes.
Agility Robotics’ technology is applied across various industries including advanced manufacturing, robotics and drones, industrials, artificial intelligence and machine learning, supply chain technology, and technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT).
Partnerships
In April 2024, Agility Robotics announced a partnership with Manhattan Associates, a global leader in supply chain commerce, to integrate Agility’s bipedal robot Digit and its cloud automation platform, Agility Arc, with Manhattan’s Warehouse Management System. This collaboration aims to enhance warehouse workflows by incorporating advanced robotics technology.
In May, Agility Robotics announced another partnership with Zion Solutions Group, a leading systems integrator in the supply chain industry. This collaboration focuses on integrating Agility’s humanoid robot, Digit, and its cloud automation platform, Agility Arc, into Zion’s warehouse solutions to connect isolated manual and automated workflows. The partnership aims to address labor shortages and high turnover rates by testing the effectiveness of humanoid robotics in performing monotonous and challenging logistics tasks, ultimately enhancing efficiency and safety in warehouse operations.
Agility Robotics’ humanoid robot, Digit, has begun its first real-world deployment at a Spanx factory, as highlighted by Fortune. During the Fortune Brainstorm Tech event in Park City, Utah, CEO Peggy Johnson showcased Digit, noting its unique design feature—backward knees resembling bird legs.
Digit is also tested at Amazon’s robotics R&D facility near Seattle, which represents an expansion of the existing partnership between Agility Robotics and Amazon, which includes Agility’s involvement in the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. Digit is designed to work alongside humans, taking on repetitive tasks to allow companies to focus on work requiring human skills.
According to the company website, Agility Robotics’ Digit can efficiently load and unload putwalls, manage tote recycling to minimize downtime, and complement AMR-based systems by handling the final stretch of tasks. Additionally, Digit enhances flow rack and cart workflows for better efficiency and reliability and reduces costs in goods-to-person systems by providing a flexible and dependable automation solution.
3. Zhiyuan Robotics (China)
Zhiyuan Robotics, based in Shanghai, China, develops general-purpose humanoid robots and embodied intelligence systems. The company recently raised $85 million from investors including BYD Company, CAS Star, CDH Investments, Co-Stone Venture Capital and Hillhouse Ventures.
Operating in the AI, manufacturing and robotics sectors, Zhiyuan Robotics’ main product is the AGIBOT Raise A1. Launched in 2023, this humanoid robot is 175 cm tall, weighs 55 kg, and walks at 7 km/h, according to the company website.
The company aims to deploy its robots for household assistance, warehouse logistics, research, and education. This suggests Zhiyuan Robotics is targeting both consumer and industrial markets.
4. 1X (United States/Norway)
1X is a US-Norwegian AI robotics company that specializes in developing human-like robots. The company has had dual headquarters in San Francisco and Norway since 2019.
The company raised $100 million in January 2024, bringing their total funding to $137 million.
1X’s main product is NEO, a lightweight and soft bipedal humanoid robot capable of performing tasks through voice commands and natural language. The company has also previously deployed a wheeled humanoid robot called EVE. Recently, 1X unveiled NEO Beta, a prototype of its bipedal humanoid designed for home use.
1X is backed by investors including OpenAI. The company has highlighted the societal impact of AI and its approach to managing workforce disruption responsibly as it works towards achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and a future where humans and robots work together.
5. Apptronik (United States)
Apptronik is a robotics company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Founded in January 2016, the company designs and builds human-centered robotics systems to develop advanced humanoid robots.
In February 2023, Apptronik raised $14 million in a funding round, bringing their total amount raised to $29 million. Apptronik’s investors include Terex, Capital Factory, Grit Ventures and Perot Jain.
The company, which operates in the artificial intelligence (AI), industrial automation, real-time and robotics industries, was spun out of the University of Texas at Austin’s Human-Centered Robotics Lab. The founders of Apptronik are Bill Helmsing, Jeffrey Cardenas, and Nicholas Paine. Apptronik’s mission is to build machines that empower humans and enable them to take on higher-skilled roles as robots handle more manual, dull or dangerous tasks.
The company believes that the labor market will continue to worsen, and their robots, such as the “Apollo” model, can fill in the gaps and allow humans to focus on more specialized work. Apptronik’s CEO, Jeff Cardenas, has stated that the company’s humanoid robots can perform a wide variety of tasks in human-centric environments, and they have found a way to produce these robots affordably to enable mass production.
6. Sanctuary AI (Canada)
Sanctuary AI, based in Vancouver, Canada, is developing general-purpose humanoid robots with human-like intelligence. The company has raised a total of $90 million in funding, with its last round being $328,296.
Founded by Ajay Agrawal, Geordie Rose, Olivia Norton, and Suzanne Gildert, Sanctuary operates in the AI, industrial automation, machine learning and robotics industries.
Their latest robot, Phoenix, stands 5’7″, weighs 155 pounds, can lift up to 55 pounds, and move at 3 miles per hour. It features complex hands with 20 degrees of freedom and proprietary haptic technology.
Sanctuary’s AI platform, Carbon, is central to the robot’s general-purpose capabilities. The company has deployed a previous generation robot in a retail environment for a week-long pilot, performing various tasks.
Investors include Export Development Canada, Magna International, Bell Canada, BDC Venture Capital, and Workday Ventures. The Canadian government has also invested $30 million in the company.
7. The Bot Company (United States)
The Bot Company, founded in May 2024 in San Francisco, is a new robotics startup led by Kyle Vogt, known for co-founding Twitch and leading self-driving car company Cruise. After stepping down from Cruise in early 2024, Vogt is returning to entrepreneurship with a focus on household robots designed to handle everyday chores. His goal is to help people save time by automating routine tasks.
The Bot Company has raised $150 million from a group of prominent investors, including Nat Friedman (former GitHub CEO), Daniel Gross (founder of Pioneer), and Nabeel Hyatt (Spark Capital). Additional investors include Stripe co-founders Patrick and John Collison, as well as Quiet Capital.
Vogt is joined by Paril Jain, who previously led the AI tech team at Tesla, and Luke Holoubek, a former software engineer at Cruise. Along with a broader team of co-founders, including Adolfo Apolloni, Micael Carvalho, Yung Ko and Joe Yan, The Bot Company is leveraging their combined expertise in robotics and AI to develop practical robots that simplify household tasks.
It appears the Bot Company is in the recruitment stage, and it hasn’t publicly shared any information about partnerships or commercialization plans.
8. Unitree (China)
Unitree Robotics, based in Hangzhou, China, was founded in August 2016 and operates in the robotics and machinery manufacturing industries. The company raised $141 million in Series B funding in February 2024, bringing its total funding to $166 million. Unitree offers affordable robotics solutions, including its HumaNoid G1 robot, which stands 4 feet 4 inches tall, is lighter than competitors, and is priced at an estimated $16,000. Unitree positions itself as a cost-effective alternative in the robotics market.
Unitree has released an updated version of its G1 humanoid robot, which showcases advanced flexibility and the ability to imitate human behavior using AI. The G1, first announced last December, can perform tasks such as walking, handling objects, and completing precise actions like soldering, making it a strong contender for mass production in robotics.
9. Fourier Intelligence (China)
Fourier Intelligence, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Shanghai, China, is a leading developer of rehabilitation robotics. Named after the 19th-century French mathematician Joseph Fourier, the company was established with the goal of creating intelligent robotics solutions that enhance rehabilitation services. The company’s core technology focuses on general-purpose robotics, designed to serve a variety of industries, with a particular emphasis on medical and rehabilitation applications.
Under the leadership of founder and CEO Alex Gu, Fourier Intelligence has expanded its operations globally, with an international R&D network and offices in locations such as Singapore, Chicago, Zürich, and Melbourne. The company’s mission is to revolutionize rehabilitation through technology, enabling robots to assist therapists and physicians in delivering better patient outcomes. Gu envisions humanoid robots as valuable assistants in healthcare, addressing the growing demand for rehabilitation services, particularly in aging populations like China’s, where there is a shortage of qualified therapists.
Fourier’s flagship product, the GR-1 humanoid robot, was launched in mid-2023, becoming one of the first general-purpose bipedal robots to achieve mass production. The GR-1 was designed to assist older adults with daily tasks and has already made a significant impact in healthcare and rehabilitation markets worldwide. Building on the success of the GR-1, the company recently teased its next-generation humanoid robot, the GR-II, which features advanced perception technology to serve a broader range of customers.
Fourier Intelligence raised over $62 million in Series D funding, led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation from the Saudi Aramco P7 Venture Fund and Yuanjing Vision Plus Capital. This funding brings their total raised capital to over $100 million. The company plans to use the funds to accelerate global market expansion and further innovate its healthcare robotics solutions.
In terms of commercialization, Fourier Intelligence has already achieved mass production with its GR-1 humanoid robot and is preparing to bring the more advanced GR-II to market. The company has built strong partnerships with over 30 world-leading hospitals and research institutions, and operates 17 international research joint labs in cities like Singapore, Chicago, and Zürich. These collaborations are key to developing and refining their rehabilitation technology and ensuring the widespread adoption of their robots in healthcare.
10. LEJU Robotics (China)
LEJU Robotics, founded in 2016 and based in Shenzhen, China, is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the development and sales of intelligent humanoid robots. The company’s core team comprises robotics experts, primarily from Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT). According to the company’s LinkedIn page, LEJU Robotics has secured numerous patents across various aspects of robot technology, including structure, core components and AI algorithms.
In terms of funding, LEJU Robotics raised $36.21 million in a Series B round in 2019, led by Aplus Capital and the investment vehicle of Shenzhen Media Group, with backing from Tencent. The company is also a member of both Tencent AI accelerator and Microsoft accelerator programs.
LEJU Robotics’ flagship product is the Kuafu robot, introduced in 2023. Kuafu is an advanced humanoid robot powered by the OpenHarmony system. It boasts impressive capabilities, including a 20cm jump height and adaptability to various terrains such as sand, grass, and obstacles. The robot features an open-source motion controller, 14 degrees of freedom in its arms and 12 in its legs, a top joint torque of 360Nm, and a rated speed of 150rpm. Kuafu can perform omnidirectional walking at speeds up to 4.6km/h and is available for purchase on LEJU Robot’s official website.
According to TeqnoVerse, as of July 2024, Kuafu is the first humanoid robot built on Huawei’s Pangu large model and runs on the HarmonyOS operating system. The robot was demonstrated at the Huawei HDC 2024 event, showcasing its ability to perform tasks such as cooking, laundry, and sweeping.
In the industrial sector, NIO, a Chinese automaker, is reportedly testing Kuafu in its vehicle assembly plants. Testing is also ongoing at Jiangsu Hengtong Group. NIO aims to improve efficiency in automobile manufacturing with this technology, and if successful, Kuafu could become a key player in streamlining NIO’s car assembly lines. This development follows a trend of automation in NIO’s production facilities, with Ubtech’s Walker S robot already performing quality checks on the assembly line as of February 2024.
11. Limx Dynamics (China)
LimX Dynamics, founded in 2022 by Zhang Wei in Shenzhen, China, specializes in developing full-size humanoid robots and Embodied AI. Zhang Li, a former WeRide executive, later joined as co-founder and COO.
The company closed its Series A funding round in July 2024, led by China Merchants Venture Capital and Shang Qi Capital, with participation from existing shareholders including Frees Fund, VitalBridge, and Future Capital Discovery Fund, according to YiCai Global website. . Alibaba Group Holding, through its investment division Haoyue Enterprise Management, owns an 18.7% stake in LimX Dynamics.
The company focuses on general-purpose robotics, particularly humanoid and quadruped robots. Their goal is to advance Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) in the physical world through innovative software and hardware technologies. LimX Dynamics aims to create a foundation model for humanoid robots and promote Embodied AI applications across various sectors.
One of their notable products is CL-1, a humanoid robot capable of dynamic stair climbing using real-time terrain perception. LimX Dynamics considers this an ideal testing platform for Embodied AI and a significant step towards creating widely used intelligent terminals alongside cars and smartphones in the future.
Additional participants included existing shareholders such as the Frees Fund, VitalBridge, and the Future Capital Discovery Fund. While the exact amount raised and its intended use were not disclosed, co-founder Zhang Wei emphasized the importance of involving industry investors in this round.
Prior to this recent funding round, Alibaba Group Holding had already established a significant presence in LimX Dynamics through its investment division, Haoyue Enterprise Management, which owned an 18.7% stake in the company. This involvement was further solidified in May when Haoyue made a strategic investment in LimX.
Their stated goal is to “unleash the generalization of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) in the physical world.”
