AI startup Figure raises US$70 million to build humanoid robots

FIGURE, a startup that wants to build general-purpose humanoid robots, has raised US$70 million from investors led by Parkway Venture Capital in its first external round, the company said on Wednesday (May 24).

The new funding will be used to accelerate the development and manufacturing of the company’s first autonomous humanoid, which is expected to launch in the next few months. The valuation of the one-year-old company was not disclosed, but a source close to the firm put the value at over US$400 million.

Brett Adcock, founder and chief executive at Figure, invested US$20 million personally in the round. Other investors include Aliya Capital and Bold Ventures.

Based in Sunnyvale, California, Figure develops general-purpose humanoid robots that could work in different environments and handle a variety of tasks, from warehouses to retail. It’s in talks with retailers about commercialisation opportunities, the company said.

Adcock, former founder of Archer Aviation, said Figure differentiates from other robotics companies such as Boston Dynamics and Amazon Robotics by developing robots that can handle general tasks, with an eventual goal to enable its robots to learn and interact with the environment.

“We believe general-purpose humanoid robots have far more potential than single-purpose robots,” said Adcock, “The deployment into the workforce can help address labour shortages and over time lead the way in eliminating the need for unsafe and undesirable jobs.”

Big tech companies and startups like Figure are racing to develop the next commercially viable humanoid robot.

Tesla, for example, revealed a prototype of its humanoid robot ‘Optimus’ last year. Chief executive Elon Musk predicted the electric vehicle maker would be able to take orders for the robot in three to five years, and sell them for under US$20,000. REUTERS