Apptronik
Integrator / OEM
Austin maker of the Apollo humanoid, a general-purpose robot for manufacturing, warehousing and logistics with a Google DeepMind AI partnership.
Apptronik builds Apollo, a general-purpose bipedal humanoid (about 173 cm, 73 kg, 25 kg payload, swappable batteries) designed to work alongside people in manufacturing, warehousing, logistics and, longer-term, retail and healthcare. Spun out of UT Austin's Human Centered Robotics Lab and NASA's Valkyrie program, Apptronik pairs Apollo's upper-body dexterity and dynamic walking with collaborative control, and sources part of its AI stack through a Google DeepMind partnership. It supplies Apollo for material handling, line-side tasks, inspection and repetitive workflows without redesigning the factory floor, and is scaling production with Jabil. (Company-reported facts.)
Research mapping
Physical AI / Autonomy Software, Fleet Platforms & End Markets (L10) / Integrator / OEM
Evidence boundary
Original analysis and independent corroboration remain under development. Commercial scale and durable technical advantage remain under review.
What makes it defensible
A decade of humanoid and actuator engineering from the NASA Valkyrie lineage, now paired with a Google DeepMind AI partnership and a Jabil manufacturing scale-up.
Position in the stack: Full-stack humanoid OEM: designs actuators, hardware and control, integrating a partner foundation model, and sells finished robots into industrial end markets.
Who buys it
Named customers: Mercedes-Benz, GXO Logistics, Jabil
Founding team
Jeff Cardenas — Co-founder & CEO — Co-founded Apptronik in 2016 out of UT Austin's Human Centered Robotics Lab.
Nick Paine — Co-founder & CTO — Robotics engineer from UT Austin's Human Centered Robotics Lab; NASA Valkyrie program alumnus.
Luis Sentis — Co-founder — Former director of UT Austin's Human Centered Robotics Lab; humanoid and whole-body control researcher.
SourceFinancing detail
- Last round
- Series A
Investors: B Capital, Capital Factory, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Japan Post Capital, ARK Invest, RyderVentures, Korea Investment Partners
Mapped funds and investors
Direct relationships supported by published evidence.
Reported holdings as-of
No sourced relationships mapped yet.
Disclosed investment history
No sourced relationships mapped yet.
Showing up to four relationships in each group. ETF weights describe the fund’s portfolio, not ownership of this company. Private investment history does not establish current ownership.
Timeline
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Financing
Series A — $403,000,000 total disclosed
Source