Agility Robotics opens training hub in Fremont as it pursues public listing

Agility Robotics has inaugurated a 60,000-square-foot training facility in Fremont, California, designed to accelerate the commercial deployment of its Digit humanoid robots. The new centre is located just up the highway from Tesla’s manufacturing plant, where the electric vehicle maker is expected to begin production of its Optimus robots this year.

The facility supports a company that reports having secured $300 million in contract orders for its robots. Agility’s Digit units are already generating revenue in manufacturing and warehouse environments for major clients including Amazon, GXO, Schaeffler, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada. While the company has not disclosed the exact number of robots built or deployed, outside observers estimate that dozens are currently operating in pilot or revenue-generating roles, with reports of 100,000 totes moved at a GXO logistics facility.

Chief Executive Officer Peggy Johnson stated that the company is pursuing a reverse merger, a move expected to make Agility the first pure-play humanoid robot company listed on public markets later this year. Johnson noted that the proximity to Tesla was beneficial, stating that while Agility was once alone in the space, it is now good to have others in the humanoid sector. She emphasised that the company has already commercialised its technology, meeting the safety, regulatory, and IT infrastructure requirements of large industrial customers.

Founded in 2015 by researchers who developed techniques for safe bipedal walking, Agility is competing against newer AI-inspired startups such as Figure, 1X, the Bot Company, and Sunday Robotics. The company’s board includes Bruce Leak, the inventor of QuickTime. Co-founder and chairman Damion Shelton highlighted a practical approach to autonomy, arguing that safety-critical functions should not be left to generative AI, even as the technology helps scale application coding.

The new Fremont centre will allow the six-foot-tall Digit robot to learn new skills in environments similar to those it will encounter in the field. More than 30 customers are currently in talks with Agility about deploying the robots. The company also plans to unveil Digit version 5 this autumn, which will feature the ability to sense humans, removing the need for designated robot-only zones in operational settings.

Co-founder and chief robot officer Jonathan Hurst outlined a roadmap focused on manufacturing and logistics tasks, starting with bins and totes before moving to more complex operations like loading tractor trailers. Hurst suggested that mastering these industrial applications could eventually lead to a market size requiring 100 million robots, representing a trillion-dollar opportunity.