Apptronik’s humanoid robots take a significant step towards self-assembly.

26.02.2025

Apptronik, an Austin-based robotics company, has entered a new partnership with Jabil, a key player in supply chain and manufacturing. This collaboration follows Apptronik’s recent $350 million Series A funding round, aimed at ramping up production of its humanoid robot, Apollo. The agreement not only introduces Apollo to Jabil’s factory floors for testing but also establishes Jabil as a future manufacturing partner once the robot proves commercially viable.

This marks Apptronik’s second major pilot program, following its ongoing collaboration with Mercedes-Benz, where Apollo has been assisting in manufacturing processes since March 2024. While that project remains in the pilot stage, the Jabil partnership is a significant step toward large-scale deployment. Apollo will initially handle simple, repetitive intralogistics and manufacturing tasks, such as sorting and transporting parts, serving as a real-world test of its efficiency.

If successful, the deal paves the way for Jabil to eventually produce Apollo robots within its own facilities, creating a scenario where humanoids could be manufacturing other humanoids. However, Apptronik is targeting 2026 for the full-scale production of commercial units, meaning widespread adoption is still a few years away.

Apptronik faces stiff competition from other companies developing humanoid robots for industrial use, including Agility, Boston Dynamics, Figure, and Tesla. Among these, Agility is the only one to have deployed robots beyond pilot programs. However, Apptronik brings significant advantages to the table, including its deep expertise in humanoid robotics and strong financial backing.

With a decade of experience, the University of Texas spinoff has worked on notable projects like NASA’s Valkyrie robot. In addition, Apptronik recently partnered with Google DeepMind to advance AI capabilities for its humanoid systems, further positioning itself as a leader in the race to integrate robots into industrial workflows.