The funding round was spearheaded by current backers such as Google, Mercedes-Benz Group AG, and B Capital, alongside new entrants AT&T Ventures, John Deere & Co., and Qatar Investment Authority. This investment builds upon a $415 million round secured in February 2025. According to the firm, substantial investor interest followed its initial funding, which enabled them to launch an additional financing extension at a valuation showing triple-digit growth.
This capital injection occurs as investors allocate substantial funds to humanoid robotics startups, including Figure AI and Dexterity, anticipating that advancements in AI will hasten widespread commercial deployment.
Established in 2016, Apptronik has collaborated with entities like Mercedes-Benz, GXO Logistics, and Jabil, and maintains a strategic alliance with Google DeepMind to create humanoid robots leveraging Gemini Robotics, Google’s AI platform optimized for robotic applications. The recent influx of capital will be channeled towards introducing the company’s core robot, Apollo, to the market, broadening its ongoing pilot programs, and facilitating the initial scaling and production of the system.
Apollo represents the company’s premier humanoid robot, the most recent in a sequence of 10 humanoid systems developed over the last ten years. This robot is engineered as a flexible platform, capable of movement via legs or wheels. It can be employed in a static setup or when mounted, a feature the company highlights as crucial for broadening robot usage beyond highly specialized roles. Apptronik underscores that bipedal locomotion is vital for comprehensive body management and effective performance within a human-centered setting. “Apollo will evolve over time,” stated Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO of Apptronik. “We will probably introduce other ‘characters’ over time, but Apollo can be considered our ‘moon project’ and the main character of the story.”
The Austin-based enterprise, comprising approximately 300 employees, originated from the Human Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas, where three co-founders — Cardenas, advisor Dr. Luis Santis, and CTO Dr. Nicholas Payne — collectively worked on NASA’s Valkyrie humanoid robot undertaking.
Apptronik’s plan encompasses a three-stage market entry. Presently, the company concentrates on manufacturing and logistics, focusing on recurring tasks like material handling and sorting, while undertaking pilot initiatives with partners such as Mercedes-Benz and GXO.
In the future, the company intends to expand into the wider commercial arena, encompassing healthcare, retail, and hospitality, before venturing into domestic robots. These systems will be equipped to execute personal care and support functions, including elder assistance, cleaning, and meal preparation. “It’s the most challenging market, but it’s also the biggest,” said Cardenas, further expressing his specific interest in robots designed for elderly care and home assistance.
He clarified that “it takes more time for robots to become sophisticated enough for use in homes,” and anticipates that this development will occur within the next ten years.
“The stakes are very high, and we’re in the early stages of humanoid development,” Cardenas said. “I always say we’re in the early 80s, compared to the beginning of the personal computer era. We’re in the ‘spreadsheet and word processor’ stage, where we’re just starting to show commercial viability. I think we’re on the cutting edge of the next big cycle.”
Source: Bloomberg