Neo Humanoid Enters the Home
Avride raises $375M, Apollo Go heads to Switzerland, Walmart trials new RFIDs
We’ve got plenty of funding news and big product launches to cover. But to start things off — let’s get into the world’s first readily-available humanoid for home use, and break down Avride’s huge haul.
1X became the first humanoid-maker to make their robot available to purchase by the general public. Intended for home uses like chores and cleaning, Neo is a 66-pound bot, running $20,000. Critics have been quick to note the machine is almost constantly recording its surroundings, with remote operators accomplishing almost all the tasks that might eventually be automated.
And in mega-funding news, Avride raised $375 million, via a mix of funds coming from its parent company Nebius Group, as well as outside capital from Uber. The company plans to use the capital to expand its robotaxi service to 500 vehicles. Avride also expanded its partnership with Grubhub, launching in Jersey City, the first time Grubhub has taken robots off of a college campus. (More on that story over at The Curbivore.)
Delivery Robotics, Drones & AVs
DoorDash will deploy Waymo’s full-size robotaxis for food deliveries in Phoenix, AZ. Arizona has become a real testing grounds for the 3PD, which is also deploying its Dot robot nearby. DoorDash’s premium DashPass members will also get discounts on Waymo rides.
Swedish autonomous trucking startup Einride expanded its partnerships with postal group PostNord and food manufacturer Mars, while competitor Waabi deepened its tie-up with Volvo.
Starship Robotics closed on a $50 million Series C, led by Plural, with participation from Karma.vc, Latitude, Coefficient Capital, SmartCap, and Skaala. Starship plans to use the capital to begin in-city operations in the United States.
Dave’s Hot Chicken pilots drone delivery in Los Angeles with Matternet.
Beijing’s Neolix closed on $600 million in Series D financing, led by UAE-based StoneVenture, with participation by Gaocheng Capital, CITIC Capital, CDH, Sparkedge Capital, Beijing AI Fund, Legend Capital, Gaorong Ventures, and Templewater. Neolix makes an L4-capable autonomous delivery vehicle, capable of on-road driving. The startup obtained China’s first autonomous delivery license in 2021, and now works with marquee logistics brands like DiDi Freight, SF Express, JD Logistics, China Post, STO, YTO, ZTO, and J&T Express.
China’s Apollo Go is entering Switzerland. The Baidu subsidiary will provide Level 4 autonomous vehicles for the country’s rural public transport provider, PostBus.
Waymo continues its U.S. expansion, with its robotaxi service headed to San Diego, Las Vegas and Detroit.
Humanoids
Chinese humanoid robot maker Leju Robot raises 1.5 billion CNY (approximately $207M) in pre-IPO funding.
DEEP Robotics launched its new generation of industrial-grade humanoid robot, the DR02, featuring IP66 all-weather capabilities.
Figure AI launches its 3rd-generation model, including soft goods handling, wireless charging, improved audio system for voice reasoning and battery improvements.
Humanoid deployed human-like robots to perform bin-picking of metallic bearing rings amidst clutter, carried out in a near-production setting at manufacturer Schaeffler’s site in Germany.
Back of House Automation
Walmart and Avery Dennison are introducing a novel RFID technology for fresh categories like meat, bakery and deli to improve inventory accuracy and reduce food waste.
AutoStore unveils AutoCase, to automate the loading and unloading of full cases, combining case handling and piece-picking in one flow. Other new features include FlexBins, Frozen-Only Grid, CarouselAI enhancements, improved fire standards, and more.
Simbe rolls out its Tally inventorying robot to 17-store grocer Harmons, in Utah.
Brain Corp and Driveline launch ShelfOptix shelf-intelligence machines, with pilots in Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket.
Farm & Sourcing Automation
Following its acquisition of farm-ng, Bonsai Robotics rolled out the Amiga Flex, Amiga Trax and Amiga Max, for weeding, hauling materials, towing sprayers / mowers, and scouting crops.
Industry Trends
Amazon scales back hiring by 600,000; will instead rely on more and more robots and “cobots.”
Kiosks & Self-Checkout
Instacart’s smart Caper Carts are headed to Big Bunny Market in Massachusetts and Stewart’s Marketplace in Utah.
San Francisco’s Pasta Supply Co. introduced the Bay Area’s first Italian noodle vending machine, serving tortellini and bucatini at Spark Social SF.
In Other News
SoftBank to buy ABB’s robotics business for $5.4 billion. Serve Robotics sells $100 million in new stock. Revolute Robotics raises $1.9M to deploy for drone that can fly and drive. Feds probe Waymo-school bus incident. Japanese c-stores are hiring “robots” run by Filipino workers. GM plans hands-free, eyes-free driving by 2028. Grab to collaborate with May Mobility on robotaxis. Amazon plans augmented reality glasses for delivery workers. AgiBot launches zero-code platform: LinkCraft. Kiwibot finishes rebrand to Robot.com with the launch of new hardware. Nvidia expands robotaxi ambitions with Uber, Stellantis, Lucid, Mercedes-Benz and Aurora. “TSA-like security screening” could ground drone economy ambitions. UCLA professor Bolei Zhou joins Coco Robotics. Tesla hopes to operate 1,500 note-quite-AVs by year’s end.