Investment and financing in the humanoid robot track have been heating up recently, with Figure AI, a humanoid robot startup, announcing the completion of a new round of financing of approximately US$675 million. The funding will be used to develop humanoid robots that can provide labor supplement for repetitive and dangerous warehouse and retail work. Silicon Valley giants such as Amazon founder Bezos, Nvidia, Microsoft, and OpenAI are among the companies providing financing support for Figure AI, with the pre-financing valuation estimated at approximately US$2 billion.
The increasing investment in the field of embodied intelligence represented by humanoid robots is evident as technology giants continue to pour funds into this sector. Tesla released a video showcasing its second-generation humanoid robot Optimus, while Nvidia established a universal embodied intelligence research laboratory. These actions reflect the optimism and importance that the technology and capital circles are placing on this track.
Figure AI, founded in 2022 and headquartered in California, raised $70 million in 2023 to accelerate the development of its first autonomous humanoid robot, Figure 01. The latest round of financing of $675 million has attracted well-established investors, including Bezos, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Intel, OpenAI, and ARK Venture Fund.
Figure AI’s humanoid robot, Figure 01, has showcased its abilities in tasks like making coffee and moving boxes in videos released on social platforms. The company aims to commercialize its humanoid robots and has partnered with BMW to deploy them in car manufacturing to automate difficult, unsafe, or boring tasks.
With the support of AI large model technology, the robot industry is transitioning into the era of embodied intelligence. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang emphasized the importance of embodied intelligence, while Tesla’s release of videos showcasing the progress of its humanoid robot Optimus has sparked discussions in the industry. Internationally, investment in the humanoid robot track is growing, with companies like 1X Technologies and Unitree securing significant funding.
Analysts believe that AI advancements will enhance the versatility of humanoid robots, accelerating their commercialization. Galaxy Securities forecasts that 2024 will be the first year of mass production for humanoid robots, offering investment opportunities in the Tesla robot supply chain, Chinese humanoid robot ontology enterprises, and other parts suppliers entering the humanoid robot track.
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