The humanoid robot arms race is on, and it’s not just Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) making noise with its Optimus humanoid—the real action is happening among a new generation of private players, each betting big on a future where humanoids are everywhere from factory floors to your living room, according to UBS analysts.
"Understanding what these private companies are working on and tracking their progress can help inform investors about the future/feasibility of the humanoid robot opportunity and use cases such as more plant automation,” UBS analysts said in a recent note, pointing to a wave of start-ups already landing deals with auto giants like BMW (ETR:BMWG) and Mercedes.
Figure AI: The unicorn out front
Figure AI, founded in 2022, is going all-in on autonomous humanoids for manufacturing, logistics, and retail. Figure’s BotQ facility can crank out up to 12,000 robots a year, and the company is already using its own robots to build more robots. After a $1.5 billion Series C in May 2025, Figure’s valuation soared to $39.5 billion, with its first commercial deal inked with BMW and a second, undisclosed “major US company” already signed. Between these two customers, Figure believes there’s a path to 100,000 robots over the next four years.
Agility robotics: real-world robots, real deployments
Agility Robotics, meanwhile, is already deploying its Digit robots in logistics and manufacturing, targeting the more than one million unfilled material handling jobs in the U.S. With partnerships ranging from GXO Logistics Inc (NYSE:GXO) and Schaeffler to Tompkins (NYSE:TMP) Solutions, Agility is scaling up quickly, pushing robots-as-a-service deals and using its Agility Arc platform to control robots in tandem with other equipment. The company recently upgraded Digit’s battery life and safety features, and a minority investment from Schaeffler signals growing industry confidence.
Collaborative Robotics: humans + robots, side by side
Collaborative Robotics, or Cobot, is taking a different approach, focusing on AI-driven collaborative robots that work shoulder-to-shoulder with people in shared workspaces such as warehouses, hospitals, and factories. Since their 2024 debut, Cobot’s Proxie robots have logged over 5,000 operational hours and moved 16,000 carts in customer facilities. The company is developing cobots that integrate large language models, voice recognition, and speech synthesis to enable dynamic, human-like interaction on the job
Apptronik: From nasa to mercedes
Apptronik, with roots in NASA, has built Apollo, a robot designed for heavy lifting in manufacturing, logistics, and even healthcare. Commercial deployments began with Mercedes-Benz (OTC:MBGAF) in 2024, and new partnerships with Jabil and Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) DeepMind are helping scale both production and AI capabilities. Apollo is built to perform physically demanding tasks in industrial spaces, working right alongside humans
1x Technologies: home humanoids at scale
1X Technologies is targeting the home, planning large-scale deployment of its Neo humanoid in the U.S. in 2025. The company’s acquisition of Kind Humanoid is accelerating its tech development, and 1X is backed by EQT (ST:EQTAB) Ventures. Their focus is on creating an abundant supply of labor via safe, intelligent humanoids, scaling from research and development to full-scale manufacturing
Mentee robotics, skild ai, foundation robotics labs, plus one robotics: the next wave
The next wave of contenders is equally ambitious. Mentee Robotics is building robots that can be “mentored” in real time by humans, aiming for personalized, adaptive bots.
Skild AI is all about general-purpose robotic intelligence, boasting a $4.7 billion valuation and backing from Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and SoftBank (TYO:9984), with its sights set on construction, manufacturing, and security robots.
Foundation Robotics Labs is shipping robots for manufacturing, logistics, domestic, and defense use, with a goal of delivering over 10,000 units in 2026. Plus One Robotics, meanwhile, is the parcel-handling specialist, with over one billion picks and AI-powered warehouse automation already saving customers millions in labor costs.
While Tesla may be the face of the humanoid-enabled robot future, UBS suggest the real battleground is among these private upstarts—each racing toward a multi-billion-dollar reality, one robot at a time.
