🦾 HardTech Reads: The AI & Robotics Revolution vol.49
Welcome to the exploration of the world where founders embark on bold quests and solve non-obvious problems🤘
🚀 HARDTECH NEWS: Robotics & AI Innovations
🤖 New UK humanoid, ⚛️ 6,100-qubit array breakthrough, 💡 Small modular reactors advance, 🚀 Firehawk Aerospace’s first flight, 🌕 NASA’s 2026 moon mission, 👩🚀 More female astronauts, 🏎️ BYD’s record-breaking hypercar, 🤝 Nvidia’s $100B OpenAI investment, ☁️ Stargate’s US data center expansion, 🌌 Space semiconductor manufacturing, 🔋 Sila’s silicon revolution, 🇺🇸 $550B manufacturing fund eyed, 🚚 Autonomous trucks in China, 🤖 China’s robot-run bodega, 🚁 Uber to offer helicopter bookings, 🚗 China’s EV boom losing money, 🚕 Zoox scales up robotaxis, 🚗 Polestar — the iPhone of EVs, 🚕 Waymo’s business robotaxis, 🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi’s AI-native government goal
🤖 Another new humanoid - this time from the UK
London-based robotics startup Humanoid has launched its HMND 01 Alpha, a dual-armed mobile manipulator built for industrial use. Standing 220 cm tall, the robot can travel up to 7.2 kph, carry 15 kg with both arms, and reach from floor to 2 meters high. It features 29 active degrees of freedom, AI-driven reasoning, and interchangeable end-effectors. The company uses a proprietary training pipeline combining 360° simulation with real-world data, claiming development at twice the speed and half the cost of traditional methods. CEO Artem Sokolov has raised $50 million in founder-led capital, with plans for a Beta version in 2026 offered through a robotics-as-a-service model.
⚛️ Physicists set record with 6,100-qubit array breakthrough
Researchers achieved the largest neutral atom quantum array to date with 6,100 qubits, representing a significant scaling milestone for quantum computing. This breakthrough brings quantum systems closer to practical applications in optimization and simulation problems, marking a major step forward in the race to build fault-tolerant quantum computers capable of solving real-world challenges.
💡 Small Reactors Power a Bold Shift
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are moving closer to reality, with 74 designs across 15 countries backed by $15.4B in funding. These compact nuclear reactors promise cheaper, steadier clean energy that could lower electricity bills, power data centers, and replace coal plants. The technology offers enhanced safety features and faster deployment compared to traditional nuclear plants, potentially reshaping the global energy landscape if regulatory and technical hurdles are overcome.
👉 Learn more.
🚀 Firehawk Aerospace breakthrough
Firehawk Aerospace successfully completed its first flight test of a 3D-printed rocket, marking a significant milestone in additive manufacturing for aerospace applications. The test demonstrates the viability of 3D printing technology for rocket production, potentially reducing manufacturing costs and lead times while enabling more complex geometries that traditional manufacturing methods cannot achieve.
👩🚀 NASA’s new astronaut class is majority female
NASA announced its first astronaut class since 2020, with women comprising six out of 10 candidates — the highest female representation ever. Selected from 8,000 applicants, the recruits include former SpaceX employees, military personnel, doctors, and researchers. They’ll undergo two years of training including spacewalks, T-38 jet flying, and robotic arm operation, earning $152,258 annually with potential increases. The diverse cohort reflects NASA’s commitment to inclusive space exploration as the agency prepares for lunar missions.
🏎️ BYD’s Hypercar Breaks Speed Records
Chinese automaker BYD unveiled the YangWang U9 Extreme, an electric hypercar that reached 308 mph in Germany, surpassing Bugatti’s 2019 record. With nearly 3,000 horsepower and advanced battery technology, the U9 demonstrates how EVs can outperform traditional supercars. Limited to just 30 units, the hypercar serves as both a technological showcase and exclusive status symbol, highlighting China’s growing prowess in high-performance electric vehicles.
☁️ Stargate Expansion Accelerates
The Stargate project is expanding with five new AI data centers across Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, and an undisclosed Midwest location. OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank are pushing total capacity toward 7 gigawatts with investment exceeding $400B. The expansion promises to create 25,000+ direct jobs and tens of thousands more across supply chains, establishing critical AI infrastructure for the next decade of technological advancement.
🌌 Space manufacturing takes a giant leap forward
Space Forge and United Semiconductors LLC partnered to manufacture advanced semiconductors in space for quantum computers and electronic devices. The collaboration explores in-space manufacturing pathways, planning to demonstrate commercial semiconductor production in orbit. By leveraging microgravity’s unique properties, this initiative could revolutionize production of critical components for next-generation computing, opening new frontiers in space-based manufacturing.
🔋 Sila’s silicon revolution powers Apple’s breakthrough battery design
Sila Nanotechnology opened a new automotive-scale factory in Moses Lake, Washington, producing Titan Silicon™ anodes that power Apple’s revolutionary “metal can” battery design in the iPhone Air. These rigid cells offer up to 50% energy density gains over traditional graphite anodes and can take any 2D shape. The company’s partnership with local community colleges demonstrates how American materials innovation can lead when combined with advanced manufacturing capabilities.
🇺🇸 Trump administration eyes massive $550B manufacturing fund
The Trump administration is considering a $550 billion manufacturing fund financed by Japan to jumpstart U.S. factories across semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, energy, shipbuilding, and quantum computing. Projects would receive expedited permits and federal land access in exchange for Japan reducing tariffs. While representing pragmatic industrial policy, the model’s long-term viability and implementation challenges remain to be tested.
👉 Learn more.
🤖 China Opens Bodega Entirely Run by Robot
Chinese robotics firm Galbot opened the world’s first fully autonomous humanoid-operated store in Beijing, staffed entirely by their G-1 robot. The dual-armed humanoid handles everything from greeting customers to serving drinks, snacks, and pharmaceuticals with zero human teleoperation. While slower than traditional vending machines, the novelty attracts crowds and serves as a proof-of-concept. CEO Wen Airong plans to expand to 100 stores across ten Chinese cities within a year, though challenges remain in natural voice interaction and operation speeds.
🚁 Uber to offer helicopter bookings through its app
Uber plans to integrate Blade helicopter and seaplane bookings directly into its app, enabling customers to book premium transportation between city hubs and airports. Helicopter seats start at $195 per person, while full charters for up to eight passengers begin around $2,000. This expansion represents Uber’s push into advanced air mobility, leveraging its platform scale to bring next-generation transportation options to mainstream consumers.
🚗 China’s electric car boom faces profitability challenges
Despite rapid growth, China’s electric vehicle industry is struggling with profitability as intense competition drives down prices and margins. Overcapacity and aggressive pricing strategies have created a challenging environment where even leading manufacturers face financial pressures. The situation highlights the sustainability concerns of rapid market expansion without corresponding profit generation.
🚕 Waymo scales up with robotaxi production facility and corporate robotaxi service
Waymo announced plans for a dedicated robotaxi serial production facility to scale its autonomous vehicle operations. The facility will enable mass production of purpose-built robotaxis, moving beyond converted consumer vehicles to purpose-designed autonomous transportation. This represents a significant step toward commercializing robotaxi services at scale across multiple markets and rolling out a corporate-focused service. It will allow companies to subsidize employee robotaxi rides in Phoenix, LA, and San Francisco. Companies receive management portals for budgets and routes while employees use the standard app. Early client Carvana signals Waymo’s expansion beyond consumer commuting into corporate travel, potentially opening new revenue streams in the B2B market.
🚗 Polestar positioned as the iPhone of EVs
Polestar is being positioned as the premium, design-focused electric vehicle brand that could become the “iPhone of EVs.” The company emphasizes minimalist Scandinavian design, premium materials, and user experience, targeting consumers who value aesthetics and brand prestige alongside performance. This positioning strategy aims to differentiate Polestar in an increasingly crowded EV market.
🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi aims to become world’s first AI-native government by 2027
Abu Dhabi launched an ambitious initiative to become the world’s first fully AI-native government by 2027, embedding AI across all public services and operations. Backed by $3.54B for sovereign cloud infrastructure and partnerships with Microsoft, G42, and Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI, the program aims to automate 100% of government services. Expected to contribute $6.5B to GDP and create 5,000+ tech jobs, this initiative could redefine global government digital transformation.
🔬 STARTUPS TO KNOW: Game-Changers in HardTech & AI
Factory, a two-year-old San Francisco startup that develops autonomous software agents to handle coding tasks, raised a $50 million Series B round. Investors included New Enterprise Associates, Sequoia Capital Operations, Nvidia, and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
DEXA, a four-year-old startup based in Dayton, OH, that enables at-home drone delivery for local retailers, raised a $15 million seed round led by G2A Investment Partners, with Venture 53 and Tech Square Ventures also engaging.
Burnt, a three-year-old San Francisco startup that uses AI to automate back-office tasks in food supply chains, raised a $3.8 million seed round led by NBA star Steph Curry’s Penny Jar Capital, with Scribble Ventures and Formation VC also investing.
Cosmoserve Space, a Hyderabad startup founded this year that develops autonomous robotic spacecraft to remove space debris, raised a $3.2 million pre-seed round led by Alan Rutledge, with AUM Ventures and Shakti VC also participating.
Purity ReSource raises $681k seed for semiconductor fab waste recycling.
NanoQT secures $14M Series A to revolutionize quantum computing hardware.
Cohere secures $100M extension, reaching $7B valuation on enterprise AI demand.
Swarmer raises $15M Series A for autonomous drone swarms in GNSS-denied environments.
📚FAVORITE RESOURCES
Robo-Pragmatist, Humanoids, Technological Shifts, Laws by
AI Humanoid Robots Are Hitting the iPhone Moment by Bernt Børnich
👨🔧HARDTECH STARTUPS ARE HIRING
Looking for a 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐉𝐨𝐛? Check 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐉𝐨𝐛𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝!⚒️🏭🧑🏭🤖
Figure, SpaceX, Cobot, ABB, Blue Origin, NASA, Boston Dynamics, Tesla, Rivian, Bright Machines, Archer , GITAI , Relativity Space are hiring!
Check it here 👇
FOR COMPANIES: Submit Your Job Posting here
FOR CANDIDATES: Search Through The List & Apply Directly
The coolest jobs this week:
🔥Distributed Systems Engineer at Moment
🔥Robotic Operations Technician at Figure
🔥Data Scientist (SF), $130K-$300K
🔥Intelligent Identity Engineer
🎤EVENTS
Actuate Physical AI Conference was again the highlight of the week! Check the agenda here and a quick intro of Abi from Andromeda here.
New fun things happening in SF and bringing a lot of discussions around robotics! Check a few snapshots and video here.
🎤EVENTS
🔧 TBD — NOX METAL FACTORY OPENING PARTY (Detroit, MI)
🇺🇸 Oct 1 — Renaissance UnDemo Day (Detroit, MI)
🌱 Oct 13–15 — RECESS25 Clean Energy Summit (Detroit, MI)
🏗 Oct 6–10 — Intl. Conference on Advanced Manufacturing (Las Vegas, NV)
🤝 Oct 15–16 — RoboBusiness (Santa Clara, CA)
🦿 Oct 23 — WERC Texas Warehousing Forum (Grapevine, TX)
🇸🇬 Oct 27–29 — ROSCon (Singapore)
🌍 Oct 19–25 — IEEE IROS(Hangzhou, China)
🔧 Oct 29 — Hard Tech Summit (Ontario, Canada)
🤠 Nov 3–5 — Intl. Robot Safety Conference (Houston, TX)
🇯🇵 Dec 1–4 — Intl. Conference on Space Robotics (Sendai, Japan)
🇦🇪 Dec 8–12 — Deep Tech Week Dubai 2025
🦿 Dec 11–12 — Humanoid Summit (Silicon Valley, TBA)
🇬🇧 Mar 16–19, 2026 — Intl. Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (Edinburgh, Scotland)
🤝 Passionate about HardTech?
Have comments, want to share some thoughts or ask about sponsorships? Send me a note: https://bit.ly/3SXPifd
If you are interested in AI, Robotics & HardTech, check my previous posts:
➡️ The Physical AI Revolution
❗️The VC Industry Loves Data. But Doesn’t Use It…
— Is it why it’s ‘dying’?
➡️19 Robotic Hands Startups to Watch
➡️ The world doesn’t fix itself. These startups are trying /Top 100 HardTech Startups
➡️ Will we have a chatGPT moment for Robots?
➡️ The Coming Scarcity of Humanity
➡️ The Art and Science of Venture Capital Investing
➡️ Deep Thinkers & Builders in Tech, Science and Bio
➡️ Humanoids Don’t Exist in Isolation / It Takes an Ecosystem to Bring Them to Life!
➡️ Clone Alpha: The Next Leap in Humanoid Robotics
➡️ ‘Made in China’-Robotics Market Overview
➡️ The Science of Networks: From Theory to New Realities
#AI #Robotics #HardTechReads #Startups #DeepTech #Automation