Apptronik Apollo: NASA-Heritage Humanoid Targeting Mercedes-Benz
Born from NASA's Valkyrie program, Apptronik's Apollo robot is now in pilot at Mercedes-Benz manufacturing — and backed by Google DeepMind.
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NASA DNA
Apptronik was founded in 2016 out of the University of Texas Human Centered Robotics Lab, which built NASA's Valkyrie humanoid. That heritage shows in Apollo's linear actuator design — quieter, safer, and more efficient than traditional rotary motors.
Apollo Specs
- 5'8" tall, 160 lbs
- 55 lb payload capacity
- 4-hour swappable battery
- Designed for industrial and commercial environments
Partnerships
Mercedes-Benz is piloting Apollo at its Berlin facility for low-skill manufacturing tasks. In early 2025, Apptronik partnered with Google DeepMind to integrate Gemini AI for advanced reasoning.
The Texas Advantage
Headquartered in Austin, Apptronik benefits from Texas's growing robotics ecosystem and proximity to U.S. manufacturing customers — a strategic moat as humanoid demand accelerates.
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