In Episode 184 of The Robotic Report Podcast, co-host Mike Oitzman interviews Jeff Cardenas, CEO and co-founder of humanoid robotic producer Apptronik. The corporate raised $350M in Sequence A funding this week to scale its Apollo humanoid.
Eugene Demaitre, editorial director for The Robotic Report, additionally joins the present to spotlight his journey to the Manifest occasion in Las Vegas.
Apptronik’s Sequence A funding was co-led by B Capital and Capital Manufacturing facility, with Google additionally taking part. This substantial funding spherical positions Apptronik amongst a rising variety of humanoid corporations attracting main investments.
Different notable examples embrace Determine AI, which has raised $854 million, together with a huge $675 million Sequence B spherical in February 2024; Agility Robotics, with not less than $178 million raised (although the main points of their current funding from Schaeffler stay undisclosed); and 1X Applied sciences, which has garnered $136.5 million, together with a $100 million Sequence B spherical.
A key side of Apptronik’s Sequence A funding, in accordance with Cardenas, is the involvement of Texas-based Capital Manufacturing facility. This group, which offers mentorship, coworking areas, and places of work for entrepreneurs, and is a number one funder of younger tech corporations in Texas, assembled a big group of Texas households to contribute to the spherical. These households, having constructed their wealth within the oil and gasoline business, at the moment are in search of promising high-tech investments inside the state.
For those who’re occupied with listening to one other story concerning the rising curiosity in funding humanoid growth, take heed to The Robotic Report podcast interview with Jamie Lee, managing companion from Tamarak World. Tamarak is among the lead buyers within the $675M spherical for Determine final yr, and Lee highlights how a lot curiosity there was for retail buyers to attempt to become involved with the chance within the humanoid market. Cardenas validated this curiosity in his feedback about Capital Manufacturing facility.
For the primary 9 months of the fiscal yr ending March 31, 2025 (masking April 1 to December 31, 2024), FANUC reported blended monetary outcomes, reflecting a worldwide economic system that’s recovering however stays unsure. Robotic gross sales skilled a 16.4% decline, reaching ¥242,386 million, on account of lowered gross sales throughout China, Europe, and the Americas, attributed to weaker demand from automobile-related industries in these areas. Nonetheless, sturdy demand from basic industries in Japan partially offset these losses.
The evolution of Carbon Robotics‘ Laserweeder from a totally autonomous cellular robotic to its present “good implement” type is a major growth. The LaserWeeder G2 represents a considerable enchancment, boasting sooner speeds, a lighter weight, and higher energy effectivity in comparison with its predecessor.
This method makes use of vision-targeted lasers to get rid of weeds as they emerge, providing a possible payback interval of 1 to 3 years for gear with a lifespan of seven to 10 years, in accordance with the corporate. The G2 product household provides 5 configurations, all constructed round a redesigned core energy and processing unit.
