Optimus, Tesla's humanoid robot led by Elon Musk, faces increasing competition, highlighted by Alphabet's entry into the sector. The startup Apptronik, specializing in AI robotics, has closed a Series A funding round of $935 million (about €800 million), valuing the company at $5.3 billion. Investors include Alphabet, Mercedes Benz, Peak6, and B Capital, along with new participants like AT&T Ventures, John Deere, and Qatar Investment Authority. Apptronik maintains a strategic collaboration with Google DeepMind to develop the next generation of humanoid robots powered by Gemini Robotics. The company has attracted interest from major funds during a boom in robotics. The oversubscribed round, totaling $415 million, reflects investors' confidence in Apptronik's vision of creating AI robots that assist people in various fields. With this funding, Apptronik will accelerate the production of its humanoid robot Apollo and expand its global presence in commercial projects and pilots. The investment will reduce time-to-market and finance infrastructure for training and data collection, as well as drive innovation in human-centered robot design. The company plans to launch a new robot in 2026. Apollo is designed to work collaboratively with humans, initially in sectors like manufacturing and logistics, with plans to expand into healthcare and home applications. The robot is the result of nearly ten years of development and Apptronik's experience with 15 previous robots, including NASA's Valkyrie. The company, spun out of the Robotics Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, has around 300 employees and partnerships with NASA and Nvidia. The goal is to offer robots at a price lower than that of a car. Meanwhile, Tesla is doubling down on Optimus, its humanoid robot focused on automation and large-scale production. Elon Musk announced the transformation of production lines to manufacture Optimus, aiming for a long-term goal of one million units annually. Musk emphasized that 2026 will be a year of significant investments to secure the company's future. The humanoid robot sector is experiencing strong growth. Goldman Sachs estimates that the global market could reach $38 billion by 2035. Funding rounds have accelerated: Figure AI raised over $1 billion in a Series C, reaching a valuation of $39 billion; Neura Robotics is seeking to close a $1.2 billion round, with a valuation of up to $10 billion and plans to manufacture five million robots by 2030; 1X Technologies, after raising $100 million in January 2024, is preparing a new $1 billion round. In the stock market, companies like Richtech Robotics, Serve Robotics, and Symbotic have experienced high volatility, reflecting the dynamism and expectations of the sector. Source: elpais.com