Robotics is moving beyond research labs and into warehouses, factories, healthcare, and homes. These six founders are building different kinds of robots, from agile humanoids to AI-powered companions, while pushing the industry toward more practical real-world use.
Brett Adcock – Figure AI: Brett Adcock founded Figure AI with a focus on general-purpose humanoid robots. Figure is combining AI with advanced hardware to build machines designed for useful work in factories, logistics, and eventually homes.
Jonathan Hurst – Agility Robotics: Jonathan Hurst co-founded Agility Robotics and helped develop Digit, a bipedal humanoid designed for real-world work. The company focuses on robots that can move through human environments and handle logistics tasks in warehouses.
Rodney Brooks – Robust AI: Rodney Brooks is a robotics pioneer and co-founder of Robust AI. His work focuses on making industrial robots more flexible, intelligent, and capable of operating safely around people rather than relying only on fixed automation.
Marc Raibert – Boston Dynamics: Marc Raibert founded Boston Dynamics in 1992 and helped establish a new standard for dynamic robot movement. Robots such as Atlas, Spot, and BigDog showcase advances in balance, agility, and movement across challenging terrain.
Sangeet Kumar – Addverb Technologies: Sangeet Kumar is the CEO and co-founder of Addverb Technologies, which develops warehouse automation, mobile robotics, and enterprise software. Its systems help businesses automate material handling, sorting, and other supply-chain operations.
Grace Brown – Andromeda Robotics: Grace Brown founded Andromeda Robotics to build robots that focus on human connection. Its humanoid companion Abi is designed to support people in aged-care and healthcare settings, showing how robotics can address loneliness as well as practical tasks.