Apptronik Timeline

Events

• 2026-06-30 - Product Launch - Apptronik opens expanded Robot Park and unveils Apollo 2 - The nearly 90,000-square-foot Austin site anchors a network that also includes Google DeepMind, Mercedes-Benz and GXO locations. Apptronik described a mix of teleoperation and autonomous execution to gather data for Gemini Robotics models. Apollo 2 had… - source: apptronik.com
• 2026-02-26 - Demonstration - Apptronik Apollo teleoperated with MANUS gloves at Mercedes-Benz - Operators directly controlled Apollo while synchronized hand and finger motion data were logged for policy learning. The demonstrated configuration included a PSYONIC Ability Hand on Apollo’s arm. - source: manus-meta.com
• 2026-02-11 - Funding - Apptronik raises $520M Series A-X extension - Repeat investors included B Capital, Google, Mercedes-Benz and PEAK6; new participants included AT&T Ventures, John Deere and Qatar Investment Authority. The company allocated proceeds to Apollo production, customer pilots and facilities for robot training… - source: apptronik.com
• 2025-10-29 - Award - Apptronik Receives 2025 A-LIST Manufacturing Excellence Award - Apptronik was honored with the Manufacturing Excellence Award at the 2025 A-LIST Awards. The A-LIST Awards celebrate startups contributing to Austin's economic success. The event highlighted companies across sectors including life sciences, defense, fintech… - source: opportunityaustin.com
• 2025-09-25 - Demonstration - Apptronik Apollo demonstrates Gemini Robotics 1.5 skill transfer - Tasks presented only to ALOHA 2 during training also worked on Apollo and the bi-arm Franka platform. Gemini Robotics 1.5 was available to selected partners, while Robotics-ER 1.5 was offered to developers through the Gemini API. - source: deepmind.google
• 2025-09-15 - Award - Apptronik receives 2025 design and industry awards - Apollo won Fast Company’s Innovation by Design award in the Artificial Intelligence Design category. Apptronik ranked 33rd on CNBC’s Disruptor 50 list, and CEO Jeff Cardenas was named an Automotive News All-Star for Best Emerging Business Model. - source: apptronik.com
• 2025-06-24 - Company Formation - Apptronik launches Elevate Robotics for superhuman industrial automation - Apptronik launched Elevate Robotics, a subsidiary focused on superhuman industrial automation. Elevate Robotics will operate independently under CEO Paul Hvass, targeting heavy-duty tasks across various sectors. Apptronik is a humanoid robotics company… - source: therobotreport.com
• 2025-06-10 - Award - Apptronik named to CNBC's 2025 Disruptor 50 list - • Apptronik was named #33 on CNBC's 2025 Disruptor 50 list, recognizing the world's most innovative and fast-growing private companies. • The list highlights companies transforming industries and the economy through innovation. • This marks Apptronik's first… - source: cnbc.com
• 2025-05-22 - Award - Apptronik receives 2025 IEEE Robotics and Automation Award for Apollo - IEEE’s citation highlights Apollo’s human interaction, mass manufacturability, performance and safety. The Product Innovation award considers innovation, creativity, technical merit, originality and potential impact. - source: x.com
• 2025-03-18 - Funding - Apptronik adds $53M to bring Series A total to $403M - New participants included Mercedes-Benz, Japan Post Capital, ARK Invest, Helium-3, Magnetar, RyderVentures and a Korea Investment Partners-led syndicate. Proceeds were allocated to Apollo production and deployment across automotive, electronics, logistics… - source: apptronik.com
• 2025-03-12 - Demonstration - Apptronik Apollo shown with Gemini Robotics - The vision-language-action model was trained primarily on ALOHA 2 data and could also control a Franka-based bi-arm platform. A separate Robotics-ER model provided spatial reasoning that developers could connect to their existing low-level controllers. - source: deepmind.google
• 2025-02-25 - Partnership - Apptronik and Jabil collaborate on Apollo production - Newly manufactured robots were to be tested on inspection, sorting, kitting, line-side delivery, fixture placement and sub-assembly tasks. Jabil would provide worldwide manufacturing capacity, procurement, inventory management and supply-chain support before… - source: apptronik.com
• 2025-02-13 - Funding - Apptronik raises $350M Series A - B Capital and Capital Factory co-led the round, with Google participating. Proceeds supported Apollo production, commercial deployment and development of next-generation robots. Apptronik said it had raised $28 million before this Series A. - source: apptronik.com
• 2025-01-09 - Demonstration - Apptronik demonstrates Apollo at CES 2025 - The robot used Texas Instruments modules internally and appeared at the semiconductor company’s show area. TechCrunch’s observer reported smooth motion and camera interaction, while describing the showcase as a demonstration rather than autonomous factory… - source: techcrunch.com
• 2024-12-26 - Deployment - Apptronik reports Apollo pilot for Amplifier’s holiday surge - At the Austin-area logistics provider, Apollo sorted orders into outbound shipping containers for multiple carriers. Mitsui’s subsequent industry report listed the pilot robot at 173 cm and 73 kg, with a 25 kg payload. - source: mitsui.com
• 2024-12-19 - Partnership - Apptronik partners with Google DeepMind on humanoid AI - Apollo was described as a 5-foot-8-inch, 160-pound platform designed for physically demanding industrial work. The agreement followed Apptronik’s commercial engagements with GXO and Mercedes-Benz during the same year. - source: apptronik.com
• 2024-06-20 - Partnership - Apptronik and GXO begin Apollo warehouse R&D program - The initial phase evaluated Apollo in a laboratory and tuned Apptronik’s AI model before a later site trial. The companies identified moving boxes and totes, picking individual items and scanning barcodes as target workflows. - source: apptronik.com
• 2024-03-18 - Partnership - Apptronik announces NVIDIA collaboration for Apollo learning - The robot’s onboard computing included Jetson AGX Orin and Jetson Orin NX modules. Apptronik described a GTC demonstration in which Apollo operated a juicer and served juice using the GR00T integration. The planned development workflow also included NVIDIA… - source: apptronik.com
• 2024-03-15 - Partnership - Apptronik and Mercedes-Benz sign Apollo manufacturing pilot agreement - The agreement was described as Apptronik’s first publicly announced commercial deployment of Apollo and Mercedes-Benz’s first announced application of humanoid robotics. Mercedes-Benz is exploring Apollo for logistics work such as delivering assembly kits to… - source: prnewswire.com
• 2024-03-15 - Partnership - Apptronik and Mercedes-Benz agree Apollo manufacturing pilot - Planned logistics tasks included delivering assembly kits, inspecting components and moving totes of kitted parts. Apollo was designed to work in existing human workspaces, reducing the need to redesign facilities around dedicated robot systems. - source: apptronik.com
• 2023-08-23 - Product Launch - Apptronik unveils Apollo humanoid robot - The launch model stood 5 feet 8 inches, weighed 160 pounds and was designed to lift 55 pounds. Its modular upper body could be deployed on legs, a wheeled base or a stationary mount, with swappable batteries rated for four hours. Argodesign developed the… - source: apptronik.com
• 2023-08-23 - Partnership - NASA collaboration advances Apptronik’s Apollo humanoid robot - Apptronik worked with NASA through SBIR contracts to develop Apollo for Earth-based logistics, manufacturing, delivery and care applications. NASA’s contribution centered on modularity, mobility and software features for safe operation near people, while… - source: nasa.gov
• 2022-11-02 - Product Launch - PSYONIC releases Ability Hand for research users - PSYONIC announced the Ability Hand was being released for robotics researchers worldwide. The company said the hand''s API enabled torque, velocity, and position control of six brushless DC motors plus streaming of encoder and touch-sensor values. PSYONIC… - source: psyonic.io
• 2022-09-20 - Partnership - Apptronik announces NASA partnership for Apollo - Apptronik said the first Apollo prototype was complete in Austin and targeted broader commercial availability in 2023. The founders’ earlier NASA work included the Valkyrie robot during the 2013 DARPA Robotics Challenge. Argodesign was selected to help… - source: prweb.com
• 2022-06-23 - Funding - Apptronik secures $14.6M seed funding - Capital Factory, Grit Ventures and Perot Jain were among the participating investors. Apptronik reported existing robots operating at Fortune 50 companies in manufacturing, automotive, supply chain and defense. - source: prweb.com
• 2016-01-01 - Company Formation - Apptronik founded as University of Texas spinout building humanoid robotics systems - Originates from the University of Texas Human Centered Robotics Lab Early work includes NASA Valkyrie collaboration and humanoid system development Apptronik is a humanoid robotics company focused on general-purpose robots for industrial environments. - source: apptronik.com