Apptronik

The Austin-based robotics firm is in advanced talks for a new funding round led by B Capital, just months after its $350M Series A, as it races to scale Apollo against heavily-funded rivals.

Google DeepMind has unveiled Gemini Robotics 1.5, a new AI framework designed to move robots beyond simple command-following to become 'physical agents' that can reason, plan, and learn skills across different hardware, like Apptronik's Apollo humanoid.

Google DeepMind has launched Gemini Robotics On-Device, an efficient vision-language-action model designed to run locally on robotic hardware. This development aims to reduce latency, improve robustness in varied environments, and enable advanced dexterous manipulation for a new generation of autonomous robots capable of fast task adaptation.

Apptronik, known for its Apollo humanoid, has announced Elevate Robotics, a new subsidiary dedicated to developing and commercializing industrial automation solutions that operate beyond human form factors and capabilities, aiming to redefine heavy-duty work.

Apptronik has been named to CNBC's 2025 Disruptor 50 list at #33, becoming the first humanoid robotics company to achieve this recognition. The selection highlights Apptronik's scalability, AI integration through its Apollo robot, a recent $350M Series A funding, and key partnerships, signaling the growing prominence of humanoid robots.