History
Apptronik has rapidly evolved from a university spinout to a leading humanoid robotics company, securing major partnerships and achieving significant technical milestones.
- 2013: Apptronik's future founders participated in NASA's DARPA Robotics Challenge, collaborating on NASA's Valkyrie humanoid robot, gaining key experience in humanoid design and actuation
- Early 2016: Apptronik founded in Austin, Texas as a spinout from UT Austin's Human Centered Robotics Lab
- 2016–2019: Undertook multiple R&D projects including force-augmenting exoskeletons, humanoid torso prototypes, bipedal mobility platforms (Draco), and robotic arms
- 2020: Developed Astra, an upper-body humanoid prototype for testing human-robot interactions
- June 2022: Raised $14.6 million in Seed funding to accelerate commercialization, led by Capital Factory
- September 2022: Announced partnership with NASA to develop Apollo humanoid robot for terrestrial and potential extraterrestrial applications
- Late 2022: Built a full-electric humanoid prototype in under 12 weeks, demonstrating rapid development capabilities
- August 23, 2023: Apollo unveiled (Alpha version) – introduced as a 5'8", 160 lb humanoid with 55 lb lifting capacity and swappable batteries
- March 15, 2024: Mercedes-Benz partnership announced to pilot Apollo robots in automotive manufacturing facilities for logistics tasks
- June 20, 2024: GXO Logistics began proof-of-concept trial with Apollo in warehouse operations
- December 19, 2024: Google DeepMind partnership announced to combine Apptronik's hardware with DeepMind's AI expertise for embodied AI development
- February 13, 2025: Raised $350 million Series A co-led by B Capital and Capital Factory, with participation from Google
- February 25, 2025: Jabil collaboration announced to manufacture Apollo at scale and use Apollo in Jabil's own factory operations
- March 18, 2025: Closed additional $53 million Series A extension (bringing round total to $403 million) with strategic investors including Mercedes-Benz, Japan Post Capital, ARK Invest, and RyderVentures
- April 2025: Named to CNBC Disruptor 50 list as one of the most innovative private companies leveraging AI
- June 24, 2025: Launched Elevate Robotics Inc., a subsidiary focused on industrial automation beyond the humanoid form
Technology & Manufacturing
Apptronik distinguishes itself through proprietary series elastic actuators (SEAs) developed by co-founder Dr. Nick Paine. These motors with integrated spring mechanisms enable precise force control, high torque-to-weight ratios, and safe human interaction. The company has iterated through 35+ actuator models, refining them for performance and mass manufacturability.
Apollo features force-controlled robotics architecture that maintains a flexible safety zone and compliance, similar to collaborative robotic arms. This human-safe design stems from Apptronik's experience with exoskeletons and allows Apollo to work safely alongside people without protective cages.
The company emphasizes mass manufacturability from day one, designing Apollo with readily available components and multiple sourcing for critical items. The partnership with Jabil enforces design-for-manufacturing principles, with the vision of "robots building robots" where Apollo units help assemble new Apollo robots on production lines.
Strategic Partnerships
NASA: Building on the team's work on NASA's Valkyrie humanoid, this partnership advances Apollo for both Earth and potential space applications, with NASA providing funding, technical guidance, and validation.
Google DeepMind: Combines Apptronik's humanoid platform with DeepMind's AI models (including Gemini) to enable Apollo to learn tasks from demonstration and adapt to new tasks autonomously.
Mercedes-Benz: Commercial pilot deployment in Mercedes manufacturing facilities, with Apollo delivering parts and assisting assembly line workers. Mercedes also became a strategic investor.
Jabil: Partnership to scale production of Apollo and pilot Apollo in Jabil's own factory operations, leveraging Jabil's global manufacturing expertise and supply chain.
GXO Logistics: Proof-of-concept trial in warehouse operations to develop practical applications for Apollo in logistics settings like picking, packing, and palletizing.
