Humanoids Enter the Global Economy

Humanoid Robotics at an Inflection Point: What the Data Shows

According to the Global Humanoid Robots Market 2026–2040 report, the robotics industry is shifting from lab prototypes to industrial scale. The numbers tell the story:

• $7 billion invested in the first nine months of 2025 (up 250% YoY)
• 243 deals in Q3 alone (up 102% vs. last year)
• Major rounds: $1 billion for UBTECH (strategic financing) and $42 million for Noetix Robotics.

Over the next 2-3 years, humanoid robots are expected to enter industry, logistics, and everyday life.

Following the capital inflows, production is scaling: Tesla, BYD, Agibot, and Agility Robotics are building production lines capable of tens of thousands of robots per year. At the same time, manufacturing costs declined by ~40% YoY, and China’s Unitree launched its R1 humanoid at just $5,900, opening the door to the mass market.

Commercialization is already underway: Figure AI humanoids are at BMW plants, Agility Robotics is deploying solutions in Amazon logistics, and UBTECH has signed partnerships with major automotive manufacturers. Another clear signal is Unitree’s first consumer sales of humanoids.

The market is accelerating on the back of AI progress, automation, and labor shortages. Adoption spans six end-use areas: healthcare and assistance, education and research, customer service and hospitality, entertainment and leisure, manufacturing and industry, and personal/domestic use.

Against this backdrop, Apptronik, a Raison portfolio company, is among the players setting the pace in the field of humanoid robotics.

Apptronik’s Apollo: a New Chapter in Humanoid Technology

Apptronik is best known for its Apollo humanoids. Built on collaboration with NASA and Google DeepMind, Apollo is not just a robot but an AI-driven adaptive system. It’s designed for people-centric work: a model built to operate in dynamic, human environments – from factories to logistics centers.

The company recently raised $403M from strategic investors (including Google DeepMind, Mercedes-Benz, and B Capital) and is already viewed as a future leader in the global humanoid market.

Looking Ahead

Starting in 2026, the humanoid robotics market is expected to enter a phase of mainstream adoption. Billion-dollar financing, hundred-thousand-unit production targets, sub-$10,000 pricing, and live deployments signal an inflection point. Broad adoption is expected in 2026–2028 (instead of the 2030s as earlier forecasted), with companies like Apptronik poised to take their place among industry leaders.

Two independent forecasts underscore the trajectory:

• MarketsandMarkets: the global humanoid robot market is projected to grow from $2.92 billion in 2025 to $15.26 billion by 2030 (CAGR ~39.2%)
• Goldman Sachs Research: the total addressable market could reach ~$38 billion by 2035.

Robotics and AI are becoming the core of the future economy, and we’ll continue to track the market and share the most important updates.