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 Collection 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 Collection 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 Collection B spherical in February 2024; Agility Robotics, with a minimum of $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 Collection B spherical.
A key facet of Apptronik’s Collection A funding, in keeping with Cardenas, is the involvement of Texas-based Capital Manufacturing unit. This group, which gives 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 searching for promising high-tech investments throughout the state.
When you’re enthusiastic about 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 associate from Tamarak World. Tamarak is without doubt one of the lead buyers within the $675M spherical for Determine final 12 months, and Lee highlights how a lot curiosity there was for retail buyers 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 (masking April 1 to December 31, 2024), FANUC reported blended monetary outcomes, reflecting a worldwide financial system that’s recovering however stays unsure. Robotic gross sales skilled a 16.4% decline, reaching ¥242,386 million, attributable to decreased gross sales throughout China, Europe, and the Americas, attributed to weaker demand from automobile-related industries in these areas. Nevertheless, robust demand from common industries in Japan partially offset these losses.
The evolution of Carbon Robotics‘ Laserweeder from a completely autonomous cell robotic to its present “good implement” kind 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 a few years for gear with a lifespan of seven to 10 years, in keeping with the corporate. The G2 product household provides 5 configurations, all constructed round a redesigned core energy and processing unit.
