Inside the race to build humanoid robots with Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas

How will we scale humanoid robot product to hundreds of thousands and millions of units?

In this TechFirst we do a deep dive with Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas. We chat about Apptronik's Apollo, his recent $400M+ funding round, the partnership with manufacturing giant Jabil, and much more.

We also talk about innovations in AI that have accelerated robot learning and dexterous manipulation, the challenge of scaling manufacturing, and Apptronik's future vision.

🎙️ Podcast Summary:

Topic: The future of humanoid robotics, funding, manufacturing, and the global AI arms race

Guest: Jeff Cardenas, CEO of Apptronik

🦾 Apollo Robot Updates

• Apollo 1 debuted in 2023; new versions are coming in 2025 with major upgrades.

• Focus areas: larger batteries, swappable parts, improved actuators, and system robustness.

• Push toward dexterous manipulation, not just lifting boxes—real industrial work.

💰 $403 Million Funding Round

• Grew from $350M with new investments from Mercedes, Google (DeepMind), B Capital, Capital Factory, and others.

• Mercedes’ legacy of precision and design deeply inspires Cardenas.

• Funding will fuel scaling, robustness, and manufacturing partnerships.

🏭 Manufacturing Strategy

• New partnership with global manufacturing giant Jabil.

• Learning from Jabil to avoid premature scaling pitfalls.

• Long-term plan includes building out their own capability in Texas and Mexico.

• Manufacturing flexibility is key amid tariff and geopolitical uncertainty.

🌍 The Global Race: US vs. China

• Over 100 humanoid robotics companies worldwide; US and China dominate.

• China has invested $138B+ into domestic robotics, outpacing the rest of the world in deployment.

• Cardenas calls it the “Space Race of Our Time”, emphasizing urgency and national strategy.

📅 Roadmap for Humanoids

• 2025: Proving commercial viability in industrial/logistics environments.

• 2026+: Volume manufacturing begins for industrial use.

• Phase 2: Retail, healthcare, hospitality.

• Phase 3 (5+ years): Elder care and home robots — Cardenas’ personal North Star.

🧠 Vision & Ethics

• “Robots for Humans” isn’t just branding—it’s a human-centered design philosophy.

• Deep partnership with Google DeepMind ensures AI is developed responsibly.

• Apptronik’s mission: build robots that people want around, not fear.

💡 Soundbites

• “You don’t just build the robot. You build the machine that builds the machine.”

• “We want to be the Apple of robots—designed for people.”

• “This is the 1980s of humanoid robots—but innovation is 10x faster.”

00:00 Introduction to Humanoid Robot Innovation

00:31 Apron's Recent Achievements and Funding

01:23 Interview with Apptronik CEO, Jeff Cardenas

01:46 Advancements in Apollo Humanoid Robot

03:47 Challenges in Scaling Robotics

07:56 Future Plans and Human-Centered Robotics

10:35 Global Race and Investment in Robotics

20:03 Meeting Howard Morgan and B Capital

20:41 Inspiration from Mercedes-Benz and Steve Jobs

22:02 Global Investors and Supporters

23:37 Manufacturing Challenges and Strategies

29:36 The Global Race in Humanoid Robotics

35:39 Timetable for Humanoid Robots

39:57 The Future of Humanoid Robots in Elder Care

42:22 Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts