Active Club’s Newsletter brings you the latest news and trends in manufacturing, robotics, and cutting-edge technology.
🗞️ This Week in Robotics
1. World Robotics R&D Program
The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) has released the World Robotics R&D Program 2025, analyzing robotics strategies in Asia, Europe, and the United States.
This report provides an overview of official government-backed robotics research funding programs across various countries. With over $1 billion in global funding allocated, there are significant differences in focus areas and investment levels across nations.
China: 2024 Intelligent Robotics Key Special Program
United States: NRI 3.0, Department of Defense's Unmanned Systems & Robotics Programs, and NASA’s Artemis Lunar Exploration Program
Japan: New Robot Strategy
South Korea: Intelligent Robot Basic Plan
New additions: Programs in Singapore and Canada
Since providing a detailed breakdown in this newsletter would be difficult, we will create a separate article summarizing robotics research funding programs worldwide.
2. Humanoid released a new video featuring company’s first humanoid robot HMND 01
UK-based AI robotics startup Humanoid has released a video showcasing its general-purpose humanoid robot HMND 01. The video highlights the mechanical design and motion control of the robot.
Founded in 2024 by serial entrepreneur Artem Sokolov, Humanoid focuses on industrial automation solutions such as product handling, picking, and packaging.
3. Adobe Firefly: Convert text or image to video with an AI video generator.
Adobe has unveiled the Adobe Firefly Video Model, an AI video generator that transforms text and image prompts into videos.
The model is trained exclusively on licensed content, ensuring that professional creators can safely use it for commercial projects.
Israeli startup Mentee Robotics has released the first footage of its latest model, MenteeBot V3.
Founded in 2022 by the CEO of Mobileye, the company aims to enhance productivity and automate daily tasks in homes and warehouses.
💰 Funding News
1. Apptronik Raises $350 Million in Series A Funding
Humanoid robotics company Apptronik has announced a $350M Series A funding round, led by B Capital and Capital Factory, with participation from Google.
Founded in 2016 as a spinoff from the University of Texas, Apptronik is developing its industrial humanoid Apollo. The company has previously contributed to NASA’s Valkyrie robotics system and recently announced a strategic partnership with Google DeepMind’s robotics team.
2. SAEKI Secures $6.7M to Revolutionize Large-Scale Manufacturing
SAEKI, a company specializing in manufacturing automation, has raised $6.7M in seed funding, led by Lightbird, with participation from Founderful and 2100VC.
Founded by a team from ETH Zürich, SAEKI is developing fully autonomous factories that integrate quoting, 3D printing, machining, and inspection into a seamless, automated process.
Stay tuned for the next issue!
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