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 unit, with Google additionally collaborating. 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 no less than $178 million raised (although the small print of their latest 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 facet of Apptronik’s Sequence A funding, in response to Cardenas, is the involvement of Texas-based Capital Manufacturing unit. This group, which gives mentorship, coworking areas, and workplaces 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 searching for promising high-tech investments inside the state.
In the event you’re taken with listening to one other story in regards to the rising curiosity in funding humanoid growth, hearken to The Robotic Report podcast interview with Jamie Lee, managing companion from Tamarak World. Tamarak is likely one of the lead traders within the $675M spherical for Determine final 12 months, and Lee highlights how a lot curiosity there was for retail traders to attempt to get entangled with the chance within the humanoid market. Cardenas validated this curiosity in his feedback about Capital Manufacturing unit.
For the primary 9 months of the fiscal 12 months ending March 31, 2025 (protecting April 1 to December 31, 2024), FANUC reported combined monetary outcomes, reflecting a world financial system that’s recovering however stays unsure. Robotic gross sales skilled a 16.4% decline, reaching ¥242,386 million, resulting from decreased gross sales throughout China, Europe, and the Americas, attributed to weaker demand from automobile-related industries in these areas. Nonetheless, sturdy demand from common industries in Japan partially offset these losses.
The evolution of Carbon Robotics‘ Laserweeder from a completely autonomous cellular robotic to its present “sensible implement” type is a big growth. The LaserWeeder G2 represents a considerable enchancment, boasting sooner speeds, a lighter weight, and larger energy effectivity in comparison with its predecessor.
This technique makes use of vision-targeted lasers to remove 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 response to the corporate. The G2 product household provides 5 configurations, all constructed round a redesigned core energy and processing unit.
