U.S. and Chinese robot makers are vying for supremacy in an industry that could turn into a trillion-dollar jackpot.Apptronik, a fast-growing startup that makes artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robots, has secured about $520 million in a new funding round that values the company at more than $5.5 billion, around three times its valuation from its initial Series A raise last year.Robotics company Apptronik closed a huge new extension round of $520 million, adding to its initially $415 million series A funding round for a total of $935 million in Series A funding. The target: ramping production of Apollo, Apptronik’s humanoid robot.Apollo, the humanoid robot, stands nearly 6 feet tall. It can lift up to 55 pounds and operate 22 hours a day, seven days a week. Apptronik’s design is meant to fit into preexisting workspaces, which means Apollo can help with everything from warehouse labor to household chores. Mercedes-Benz and electronics manufacturer Jabil have already deployed it alongside their human employees—and your workplace may be next. The Apollo is a winner of Fast Company’s 2025 Innovation by Design Awards.Humanoid robot technology has advanced quickly since Packaging World first covered it in 2023. In the first of this three-part series revisiting humanoid robots as a potential packaging labor solution, we hear from suppliers about their latest advancements, industry deployments, and vision for the technology’s future.Apptronik, a Texas-based robotics developer, to “build the next generation of humanoid robots with Gemini 2.0.”Jeff Cardenas is the co-founder and CEO of Apptronik. Jeff’s problem is this: Can you make a safe, reliable humanoid robot – for less than $50,000?Humanoid representation has largely been limited to smaller companies, with the exception of Apptronik. The Austin firm’s Apollo robot made an appearance as part of Texas Instruments’ presence at the show.Apptronik Inc. today announced that it has partnered with the Google DeepMind robotics team. The companies said the strategic partnership will combine artificial intelligence with robotics hardware, enabling humanoids to be more helpful to people in dynamic environments.Apptronik’s humanoid robot, Apollo, stands 5’8” (1.72 meters) tall, weighs 160 pounds and can lift 55 pounds. It can operate for four hours per battery pack.In August 2023, Apptronik released Apollo, its first commercial version of a bipedal humanoid robot. These projects helped Apptronik develop the kinematic, mechanical, and electrical expertise to support the venture into bipedal robotics.Apptonick's new A.I.-powered Apollo robot is about the size of a human.