Call for Startups AND Robotics Companies of Global Scale
The IERA Award is looking for submissions, so is Automate and the Embedded Vision Summit. Plus if you're studying, why not apply for a Women in Robotics Scholarship!
Last week I shared Make Magazine’s interview with Christoph Kohstall of Kind Humanoids. This week I can share that Kind has just been acquired by humanoid robotics company 1x. More on the story here, and here.
[San Francisco Bay, CA] – 1X announces the acquisition of Kind Humanoid, uniting two robotics teams with aligned visions to advance humanoid technology.
“It’s rare to find someone who is not just a powerhouse engineer but also completely aligned philosophically and strategically on how humanoids as products should take shape,” said Bernt Bornich, CEO of 1X. “Having Christoph join the 1X team here in the Bay will accelerate our path to a world full of humanoid robots."
Kind Humanoid’s unique expertise and culture complement 1X’s mission to create an abundance of labor through safe and intelligent humanoids. The relationship between the two newly joined companies is built on the foundational belief that humanoids need to be developed alongside humans-- living and learning among us.
“Joining 1X feels like the perfect next chapter for Kind Humanoid,” said Christoph Kohstall, CEO of Kind Humanoid. “From starting out in a small garage to now becoming part of a team that shares our belief in humanoids living and learning among us, this acquisition brings our vision closer to reality. Together, we can create robots that truly connect with people and make a difference where it matters most.”
About Kind Humanoid
Kind Humanoid is a Palo Alto-based robotics startup founded by Christoph Kohstall, a former scientist at Stanford and member of Google's robotics team. The company developed Mona, a bipedal humanoid robot designed for home use and to bring additional labor to fields such as healthcare. Operating from a small garage, the team brought together a deeply bio-inspired robot body with advanced Al and large language models developing a robot that can interact with and assist everyday people.
About 1X
1X is a leader in humanoid robotics, developing general-purpose robots designed to live and learn among humans in the home—an early step toward advancing physical intelligence. With a focus on safety, 1X is at the forefront of the next wave of robotics, offering products that are accessible and practical for everyday use. 1X’s mission is to create an abundance of labor through safe, intelligent humanoids that work alongside people
Bots&Beers is Back Baby!
Wednesday Feb 5th from 6 to 8.30pm at Circuit Launch Mountain View.
Circuit Launch Mountain View is Open!
Want a dedicated desk? (Or office or hotdesk) I’m at Mountain View all week if you’d like to tour the new Circuit Launch space in the old Boston Dynamics building.
Circuit Launch is the ultimate hub for hardware innovators, offering state-of-the-art prototyping labs, co-working space, and a thriving community of entrepreneurs. We provide the tools, training, and connections to accelerate your ideas into reality, with locations in Oakland, San Leandro (2025) and Mountain View.
Tour the new facility and check out our Dedicated Desks, Entrepreneur Hot Desks, and Private offices, now available for your next big idea. info@circuitlaunch.com
The IERA Award highlights and honors the achievements of inventors with value creating ideas and entrepreneurs who propel those ideas into world-class products. This is a key element to the continuing success of robotics and automation today. Active infusion of innovation and entrepreneurship into technological advancement is regarded critical at this juncture to strengthen a healthy balance between research and practice as well as a healthy growth of industrial and commercial sectors in robotics and automation.
The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (IEEE/RAS) and the IFR jointly sponsor the award - underlining their determination to promote stronger collaboration between science and industry in robotics.
Finalists present their story of a successful innovative product in robotics and automation - from inception to final state of commercialization - in a series of plenary lectures at the IEEE/IFR Joint Forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Robotics and Automation. The winners are then chosen by an evaluation board. The annual award consists of a plaque and a $2,000 honorarium.
Deadline May 31st https://ifr.org/img/office/Call_for_Application_IERA_2025_three_pager.pdf
The search is on for the next game-changing automation solution. The 2025 Automate Startup Challenge is bringing together the most innovative early-stage robotics and automation companies to compete for a $10,000 cash prize and industry-wide recognition.
Our panel of industry-expert judges is looking for groundbreaking solutions that push the boundaries of what's possible in automation. Think your startup has what it takes? The deadline for submissions is February 21, 2025. Apply Here
Finalists will be announced after March 1, 2025.
This scholarship aims to honor the impact of Joanne Pransky by supporting women in robotics throughout their education, with many thanks to contributions from Joanne's friends, family and the generous assistance of The Joseph F. Engelberger Foundation and A3 Robotics, the Association for Advancing Automation.
Any female-identifying high school, two or four-year undergraduate or graduate student who is interested in working in robotics may apply for this scholarship.
To apply, write a short science fiction story about the challenges or opportunities of robotics in the near future. Deadline February 1st. Apply on Bold.org
Send me your community news to share!
Robotics News
The Electric: Humanoid Robots Are Cool—but How Will Their Battery Problem Be Solved? - The Information (btw I disagree completely with this headline)
Chinese robot maker UBTech plans mass production of industrial humanoids by end of 2025 - South China Morning Post
“World’s first” universal robotics software platform BOW raises €4.7 million - EU Startups
Space Robotics Startup Demos Cubesat, Eyes LEO Constellations - Space.com
Pho Real? San Jose Restaurant Employees Wrestle Attempted Robot Server Kidnappers - ABC7 News
Just how many robots can one person control at once? - IEEE Spectrum
Why autonomous vehicles could be in for a breakout year - Bloomberg
Nvidia's autonomous-car business is rising. Here's how it could make every car self-driving. - Business Insider
Connect in-person with more than 7,000 leading roboticists!
Is your company’s goal to push the boundaries of technological possibilities? Or maybe it’s to create more precision in the medical field, or to cut out waste and increase safety in manufacturing. Perhaps, your goal is to create accessible improvements to our daily lives in our own homes.
Whatever your company’s goals might be, ICRA 2025 is the premier event to showcase the hard work and research of your organization and how it works to shape and improve the future!
Join us May 19-22 in Atlanta, Georgia for the IEEE flagship event, the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA). Connect with the greatest minds in the industry while they check out your latest technology and innovative solutions.
View the 70+ companies that have already committed to participate by visiting the Exhibit Hall Floor Plan.
When you’re ready to add your name to the list of industry leaders, fill out this application form and return it to icra@heiexpo.com, or contact our team at 630-434-7779, for more information.
Don’t forget to check out the partnership opportunities to elevate your ROI!
2025
I can say that we launched International Humanoids Day on 12/12 and also that in 2025 the Silicon Valley / San Francisco Humanoids Summit will be back on Dec 11th and 12th 2025 AND in London on May 29th and 30th.
AMBayArea Winter Forum at NextFlex - Jan 23
ROS by the BAY - Jan 30
Bots&Beer is Back Baby! - Feb 5th
SVR Investor Summit - IN PERSON - Feb 12th
HRI 2025 Melbourne Australia March 4 - March 6
ProMat 2025 Chicago IL Mar 17 - Mar 20
ICRA 2025 Atlanta Georgia 17 May - 23 May 2025
Is there anyway we can combine 3Dprinting technology with Robotic?