AI and robotics company 1X announced this week that it has raised €91 million in Series B funding to bring its humanoid android NEO to market for everyday home assistance. With versatile capabilities to help around the house, NEO represents a new era in consumer robotics.
As a two-legged human-shaped android, NEO can safely work among people to perform domestic chores like cleaning, cooking, and household errands. Its embodied AI enables NEO to navigate environments and continuously learn. Funding from leading investors like EQT Ventures will support 1X to scale up data collection through real-world NEO deployments.
The company previously raised over $125 million to develop safe yet intelligent androids to meet global demand for labor and build a more abundant society. Now 1X stands poised to deliver on that vision, with NEO offering the first consumer-ready android equipped with 1X’s signature Smart Behavior technology.
“We are thrilled that these leading investors are supporting 1X’s mission of safely deploying Androids with Smart Behavior into new markets,” said 1X CEO Bernt Øivind Børnich. “Our next milestone will be scaling our data collection strategy for Embodied AI and offering NEO to consumers.”
This latest funding round also allowed 1X to reward its dedicated staff through a secondary transaction where existing shareholders liquidated some stock for employee payouts. “This is the first time we are able to offer a payout to our team. As we embark on this exciting new chapter, we look forward to continuing to recognize and reward the efforts of our team, both past and future,” Børnich added.
With continued innovations in AI and robotics, the age of androids is arriving. 1X sits poised to deliver on the long-held sci-fi dream of intelligent humanoid helpers in the home. As NEO comes to market in 2024, consumers can soon experience versatile everyday assistance from an android optimized to safely learn and work among people. The future is here.