Recently, Austin-based humanoid robot manufacturer Apptronik announced a new pilot partnership with Jabil, the U.S. supply chain and manufacturing giant. This collaboration was revealed two weeks after Apptronik completed its $350 million Series A funding round, aimed at scaling up production of its Apollo humanoid robots.
Collaborating with Jabil represents the second major pilot project for Apptronik. Previously, in March 2024, Apptronik partnered with Mercedes-Benz to deploy Apollo robots in their manufacturing facilities. While this partnership is still in the pilot phase, it demonstrates the company's ongoing efforts to integrate humanoid robots into industrial settings.
Under the terms of the agreement, Jabil will conduct real-world testing of the Apollo system within its own factories. Furthermore, Jabil's Florida facility and Apptronik will become manufacturing partners. Should Apollo prove commercially viable, Jabil will begin producing the robots in-house, potentially leading to a scenario where the humanoid robots are involved in their own manufacturing process.
In an industry that places significant emphasis on manufacturing capabilities, such partnerships seem inevitable. However, for Apptronik, achieving the goal of humanoid robots manufacturing humanoid robots remains a long-term vision. The startup has recently disclosed plans to commence commercial production of Apollo units by 2026.
The initial collaboration between Jabil and Apptronik will involve deploying a certain number of Apollo systems to perform "simple, repetitive logistics and manufacturing tasks" within Jabil's factory, such as sorting and transporting parts. This practical application serves as a crucial step towards scaling up Apollo's production. The better Apollo performs in Jabil’s environment, the closer it gets to being integrated into the production line that includes itself.
Apptronik is one of several companies developing humanoid robots for industrial applications, alongside competitors like Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Figure, and Tesla. Among these, only Agility has publicly announced that its robots have moved beyond the initial pilot stage and are now deployed.
Despite the intense competition in this emerging field, Apptronik holds several advantages. Besides securing tens of millions in funding, the company, spun out from the University of Texas, boasts over a decade of experience in humanoid robotics research, including work on NASA's Valkyrie robot. In December last year, Apptronik also announced a collaboration with Google DeepMind to develop AI for its humanoid systems.
