Apptronik Raises $935M, Valued at Over $5B for Humanoid Robots
▼ Summary
– Apptronik has expanded its Series A funding round to a total of $935 million, with a post-money valuation of approximately $5.3 billion.
– The funding includes a new $520 million investment from existing backers like Google and Mercedes-Benz, as well as new investors.
– The company’s valuation has increased significantly, now roughly triple its initial Series A valuation of around $1.75 billion.
– Apptronik is developing humanoid robots for embodied AI, partnering with Google DeepMind and others for tasks like warehouse logistics.
– The company has a long history in robotics, dating back to 2013 with work on the NASA-DARPA Valkyrie robot, preceding its formal founding.
A major player in the humanoid robotics sector has secured a massive new infusion of capital, signaling intense investor confidence in the future of embodied artificial intelligence. Apptronik, a company spun out from the University of Texas, announced it has raised a total of $935 million in its Series A funding round. While the firm did not publicly state its valuation, sources indicate the financing places its post-money valuation at approximately $5.3 billion. This substantial investment underscores the growing belief that versatile, human-like robots will soon play a critical role in industries from logistics to manufacturing.
The funding journey for Apptronik has been dynamic. The company initially closed a $350 million Series A round about a year ago. Due to significant investor demand, that round was first expanded to $415 million. The latest development involves an additional $520 million from a mix of existing and new backers. Prominent returning investors include Google, Mercedes-Benz, and B Capital. Importantly, this isn’t a case of simply selling more equity at the original price. According to available data, investors paid progressively more for shares in each subsequent extension, valuing the company at roughly triple its initial Series A valuation of around $1.75 billion.
Given the scale of the raise, one might wonder why it isn’t classified as a Series B. Company sources explain that Apptronik remains in an early development phase and was not actively seeking new capital. Instead, the decision to accept more funding was driven by strong inbound interest from investors. For a startup developing technology as complex and capital-intensive as bipedal robots, turning away another half-billion dollars at a higher valuation would be a difficult proposition. This level of investment is becoming more common in the space, as seen with competitors like Figure AI, which has raised billions since its founding.
A key driver of the excitement around Apptronik is its strategic partnerships. The company is collaborating with Google DeepMind, as well as logistics firm GXO and automaker Mercedes-Benz, to advance what is known as embodied AI. This refers to robots that can perceive their surroundings and make reasoned physical decisions, moving beyond simple, pre-programmed tasks. Apptronik’s flagship robot, named Apollo, is being developed for practical applications such as unloading shipping trailers, picking items in warehouses, and tending to industrial machinery.
Despite the “Series A” designation, Apptronik brings over a decade of experience to the field. Its foundational work in humanoid robotics traces back to 2013, years before the company was formally established. During that time, team members from the University of Texas at Austin’s Human Centered Robotics Lab participated in the NASA-DARPA Robotics Challenge with a robot called Valkyrie. That early work forged a lasting partnership with NASA, which has continued as Apptronik has developed its commercial Apollo platform. This deep technical heritage, combined with recent landmark funding and powerful alliances, positions the company as a formidable contender in the race to build the next generation of intelligent robots.
(Source: TechCrunch)
