Robotics giant Figure AI demonstrates its robots to the world
You can see it for yourself. Figure AI’s next generation “Figure 03” humanoid robot sorts packages, places them label side down, and delivers them to a conveyor belt. As of the early morning of May 20, the live-streaming video indicated that the autonomous AI-enabled species had sorted more than 204,000 packages in more than 163 hours.1 It is an indication of what’s possible with these advanced machines. According to the spectators of the live feed, some are critical and want to see more complex human-like tasks. Some are optimistic, believing that this is just the start and we are only months away from robotics doing much of the manual labor humans do, able to pull longer hours with fewer breaks.
Founded in 2022 and headquartered in San Jose, California, Figure AI is one of the fastest-growing companies within the robotics industry. The private company’s goal is to build autonomous humanoid robots capable of addressing global labor shortages across manufacturing, logistics and household environments. Its pilot prototype, “Figure 01,” garnered early attention through the robot’s ability to operate and interact in spaces built for humans.2
The firm’s breakout moment came in 2024 with its securing of $675 million from a group of high-profile investors including Microsoft, Nvidia, OpenAI, Intel and Jeff Bezos, valuing the company at $2.6 million.3 From there, Figure AI secured a partnership with OpenAI to leverage the AI giant’s machine learning capabilities for the “brain” of its robotics systems.4 A partnership with BMW soon followed, in which Figure AI supplied its robots to aid in manufacturing at BMW’s South Carolina-based plant. According to the company, Figure contributed to the production of 30,000 vehicles at the facility during its initial test run.5 The two noteworthy initiatives solidified Figure as a leading competitor in its respective industry.
But Figure has since shown its ability to develop beyond general-purpose autonomous systems. Last year, Figure AI split from OpenAI with the development of its own language learning system, “Helix,” now used to power its robots’ “thinking.”6 The development led to its more advanced next-gen “Figure 02,” and the latest prototype seen in the live stream, “Figure 03,” which is not just interacting with humans, but doing literal human work.
In late 2025, Investor enthusiasm around humanoid robotics continued to accelerate, and Figure AI reportedly raised more than $1 billion in Series C funding at a valuation approaching $39 billion, nearly 15x as much as the year prior’s valuation. According to the company, the new funding will allow it to scale rapidly and provide more research and development as it plans to evolve new generations of its robotics systems.7
Figure AI’s Forge Price™ is $174.00 as of May 20, implying a valuation of $34.22 billion.
Robotics companies emerge
As artificial intelligence is coupled with machines doing physical automation, investors may want to closely watch Figure AI and companies like it for their growth potential.
Here is a listing of other robotics-related companies listed on Forge Global:
Apptronik
Founded in 2016 and based in Austin, Texas, Apptronik is a robotics company that offers general-purpose humanoid robots to industries such as logistics, manufacturing and retail. Apptronik’s flagship product, “Apollo,” can perform tasks like case picking, palletization and machine tending. According to the private company, its goal is to address labor shortages and improve how people live and work.8
Gecko Robotics
Founded in 2013, Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics has carved out a niche for itself and its robots. Gecko develops machines that can inspect critical infrastructure and provide insight into asset health for commercial buildings and real estate. Its robots can climb walls and use ultrasound sensors and visual cameras to perform their inspections.9
Agility Robotics
Founded in 2015, Agility Robotics is another firm that offers its humanoid, bipedal robots to businesses for help in their logistics and manufacturing areas. The private company’s main product, known as “Digit,” is designed to navigate its environment and perform tasks like package handling and warehouse organizing. Agility is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.10
