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'Don''t Send a Marine, Send a Robot': Foundation Co-Founder Details Military Pitch for Humanoids
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In a notable departure from the sanitized, consumer-friendly messaging common in the humanoid robotics industry, Foundation co-founder Mike LeBlanc made a direct case for the military deployment of his company's machines during an appearance on FOXLA today. The former Marine officer detailed a vision where humanoid robots serve as "autonomous ground drones," performing dangerous tasks to keep human soldiers out of harm's way.
"We always have a saying, 'don't send a Marine where you can send a bullet first,'" LeBlanc stated during the interview. "So, I say, 'don't send a Marine where you can send a robot first.'"
This candid focus on defense applications distinguishes Foundation from competitors who often emphasize industrial automation or domestic assistance, showcasing robots folding laundry or handling eggs. LeBlanc was clear about his company's priorities. "Ours are very much set for business and for defense," he said, noting their robots are intentionally built "bigger, faster, stronger" than many rivals.
An 'Autonomous Ground Drone'
LeBlanc, whose military background includes time at the Pentagon evaluating new defense technology, described a future where bipedal robots would be deployed as "robot feet on the ground." He outlined several potential roles, from logistics and aircraft maintenance to more direct front-line duties.
"This would be something that can actually walk into a house," he explained. "You can have a translator in it, you can engage with locals, do lots of different tasks that soldiers are doing today."
He positioned the robots as a necessary response to international developments, claiming China has already integrated humanoids into military exercises. LeBlanc revealed that Foundation already has contracts with the U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Army, focused on logistics, planning, and aircraft sustainment. The ultimate goal, he suggested, is for the robots to act as a "bullet sponge instead of a soldier."
When pressed on the classic sci-fi concern of a robot "going rogue," LeBlanc expressed confidence in their control measures. "We will hold the controls on these," he assured, adding that his co-founder, Sankaet Pathak, is "very concerned about this" and has pledged to remotely "brick any robot that goes rogue."
The Shadow of Synapse
The public push into the sensitive defense sector comes as Foundation navigates a complex corporate backstory. Co-founder and CEO Sankaet Pathak was previously the head of Synapse, a banking-as-a-service platform that collapsed into bankruptcy in 2024. The company's failure left a significant financial shortfall, with tens of millions of dollars in customer funds held by partner banks unaccounted for due to what regulators and reports describe as poor record-keeping.
The Synapse controversy raises questions of oversight and execution that hang over Pathak's new, capital-intensive venture. Foundation, which emerged in May 2023, is reportedly seeking to raise $100 million at a $1 billion valuation, an ambitious goal for a company that has yet to deliver its 'Phantom' robot to customers.
My cofounder Mike was on @FOXLA talking about @foundation_robo recently and made some really good points. Enjoy!
A Different Kind of Demo
While companies like Tesla and Figure have captured public attention with more or less choreographed demos of their robots performing delicate tasks, Foundation is unabashedly carving out a niche in the more controversial, but potentially lucrative, defense market. LeBlanc's argument is pragmatic and rooted in his own combat experience: if a machine can perform a dangerous job, it should.
"For anybody that has been in combat... they know you would much rather put this robot there," he argued. "If you could talk to locals through this without putting a marine or soldier in danger, you absolutely take that."
Foundation's strategy is now clear: to build not just a worker, but a soldier. The success of this approach will depend not only on clearing immense technological hurdles but also on convincing both military clients and investors that its leadership can execute on its vision—a task complicated by the lingering questions from its CEO's previous venture.