Robotics Weekly: Bedrock's $600M Raise, AgiBot's Synchronized Fleet, and Trump's Security Notice
This week's digest covers Bedrock Robotics' $600M funding, AgiBot's record-breaking synchronized humanoid dance, and Figure's progress on the Figure 04. We also report on Boston Dynamics employees protesting an ICE contract, Trump's national security notice on imported robots, and Nvidia's viral Microduck robot.
Podcast В· 2 min
Bedrock Robotics Secures $600M Series C
Bedrock Robotics has raised $600 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total valuation to $4.1 billion. The startup, founded by former Waymo engineers, specializes in autonomous excavators that can operate without a human in the cab. This funding round, which more than doubles the company's valuation from February, highlights the growing investor interest in autonomous construction technology. Bedrock has already begun paid operations at sites including a Nevada water-treatment plant and a Texas earthmoving project. The company aims to address the construction industry's labor shortage by deploying autonomous fleets for complex tasks, joining other well-funded players like Gravis Robotics and Eka Robotics in the sector.
Physical Intelligence and Foundry Secure Major Capital
The robotics sector continues to see massive capital inflows, with Physical Intelligence reportedly in talks to raise at least $1 billion at a $20 billion valuation, despite currently having no revenue. Meanwhile, Foundry has successfully raised $100 million in a Series A round. Foundry plans to utilize these funds to build autonomous factories where AI-driven robots handle the production of complex goods, ranging from drones to batteries and satellites. These developments underscore the aggressive investment strategy currently dominating the physical AI space, where firms are betting heavily on future capabilities despite the early stage of commercial deployment.
AgiBot Demonstrates Synchronized Fleet Control
Chinese robotics firm AgiBot has showcased a synchronized performance featuring 110 of its Expedition A3 humanoids. The robots performed a six-minute routine involving jumps, flips, and complex formations, earning a Guinness World Records title for the most humanoid robots dancing simultaneously. Beyond the spectacle, the demonstration serves as a proof-of-concept for AgiBot's fleet-control system, which utilizes ultra-wideband positioning to coordinate large numbers of robots. This capability is critical for the company's goal of deploying humanoids in public services, tourism, and research, where coordinated action is essential.
Figure AI Locks Design for Figure 04
Figure AI CEO Brett Adcock has announced that the company's next-generation humanoid, Figure 04, has entered 'full design lock.' The company is positioning the new model as the 'iPhone 1 of humanoids,' featuring a hand design that nears human-level dexterity. To train the robot, Figure is leveraging massive data ingestion, processing 81 minutes of human video per second and spending approximately $8.1 million on data in a single week. This data feeds into the company's new 'baby AGI' model, Helix 3.0, as Figure continues its strategy of aggressive investment in compute and data to differentiate itself in the competitive humanoid market.
Boston Dynamics Employees Protest ICE Contract
More than 300 Boston Dynamics employees have signed a petition urging company leadership to terminate a contract involving the deployment of Spot robots to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The robots, branded as Cerberus, are equipped with thermal cameras and robotic arms for tunnel inspection and hazardous material detection. Employees cited concerns about the agency's past actions, including a 2025 raid at a Hyundai factory, as the basis for their opposition. Despite the petition, which represents approximately one-fifth of the company's workforce, leadership has stated that the sale will proceed, highlighting the ongoing tension between robotics developers and the ethical implications of their technology's use by government agencies.
Trump Declares Imported Robots a National Security Risk
The Trump administration has formally declared imported robots and industrial machinery a national security threat. While the declaration allows for potential tariffs, quotas, or fees, no immediate tariffs were imposed. Instead, the administration has directed trade negotiators to engage in talks over the next 180 days. The probe, which began in September 2025, covers a wide range of equipment, including CNC machine tools and industrial ovens. The administration cites cyber risks associated with foreign-made machines that store sensitive data as a primary concern, though it acknowledges that U.S. manufacturers currently cannot meet domestic demand for these technologies.