The valuations in humanoid robotics startups are turning heads, with Figure towering at $39B while others linger around $6B to $11B. It’s not just numbers–Figure’s push to own the entire stack sets them apart.
They’ve crafted their own AI brain, the Helix model, which powers the robot’s decisions. Then there’s the data gathering, massive and human-sourced through Project Go-Big, videos piling up like forgotten laundry. And they skipped relying on external factories, rolling out BotQ for manufacturing. One reply noted China’s edge with 50-150 startups already shipping buyable products, a stark contrast to Western speculation.
That $39B figure screams ambition, echoing thoughts that Figure aims to be the Apple of humanoids–all the control, headaches included, but potentially the magic too. Drift to space robots for a moment, where growth might explode in drilling or water harvesting on moons, yet reel back: terrestrial humanoids could boom first, led by players like Tesla’s Optimus, pegged as market-ready by 2026.
Critics call the list speculative, likening Figure to fizzled EV manias like Nikola, but optimism persists. More R&D and funding could accelerate everything, from space to factories. Do they ace manufacturing? Bold strategies suggest yes, though challenges lurk.
In this robotics surge, owning the stack might be the unexpected linchpin for true scalability.
Robot Central 
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