Humanoid’s $152M Series A has made it Europe’s first humanoid robotics unicorn, a milestone that is reshaping UK deep tech investment. Humanoid $152M Series A was led by Prime Movers Lab at a post-money valuation of $1.35 billion, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, HV Capital, and Mubadala. The London-based company, founded in May 2024, has secured approximately £1.8 billion in pre-orders for its HMND 01 wheeled robot, positioning it as one of Europe’s fastest-scaling hardware startups.
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Key Highlights
- $152 million raised in Series A (July 2026)
- $1.35 billion post-money valuation
- Europe’s first pure-play humanoid robotics unicorn
- £1.8 billion in pre-orders secured
- Lead investor: Prime Movers Lab
- Partners: Schaeffler (1,000-unit order), Bosch (100,000-unit manufacturing capacity)
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- Founded: May 2024
Company Overview
The company is building wheeled humanoid robots designed for industrial use, a design philosophy that prioritises practical deployment over the bipedal walking demonstrations that dominate media coverage of the robotics sector. The company’s HMND 01 robot uses a wheel-based locomotion system that trades the technical complexity of bipedal balance for the reliability, stability, and payload capacity required in real manufacturing and logistics environments.
This pragmatic approach appears to be resonating with industrial buyers. The £1.8 billion pre-order book, secured before a single commercial unit has shipped, is one of the most remarkable validation signals in European deep tech history. Schaeffler, the German automotive and industrial components manufacturer, has placed an initial order for 1,000 units, providing both revenue visibility and a credible reference customer for enterprise sales.
Funding Details
The Series A was led by Prime Movers Lab, the US deep tech venture fund, with participation from Schaeffler, Bosch, Fubon Financial Holding Venture Capital, and Aglaé Ventures. The investor base is strategically constructed: Bosch and Schaeffler are not merely financial backers, they are industrial partners with direct stakes in the success of its manufacturing and commercial roll-out.
Bosch’s involvement is particularly significant. The company has committed production capacity for up to 100,000 Humanoid units, which means one of the world’s largest engineering manufacturers has bet its own factory capacity on the company’s commercial success.
The HMND 01 Robot
The HMND 01 is the company’s debut commercial product. Designed for industrial and warehouse environments, it uses a wheeled base for reliable locomotion in structured environments, upper-body manipulation capabilities for interacting with objects and machinery, and an AI control layer for task execution and navigation. A beta version is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026, with full commercial deliveries to follow.
The choice of wheels over legs is deliberate. In industrial settings, the vast majority of tasks do not require climbing stairs or navigating unstructured terrain, they require moving quickly and reliably across flat factory floors whilst manipulating objects with precision. Wheels deliver both of those things better than legs at the current state of robotic technology.
Market Opportunity
The global humanoid robot market is attracting extraordinary levels of investment in 2026. Goldman Sachs has projected the humanoid robot market could reach $38 billion by 2035, driven by labour shortages in manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing across developed economies. The UK alone faces persistent skills shortages in logistics and light manufacturing, exactly the sectors the HMND 01 is designed to serve.
The company’s European positioning is a significant advantage in an industry dominated by US and Chinese companies. European industrial buyers, particularly in Germany, France, and the UK, increasingly prefer to source critical automation technology from domestic or allied suppliers, and it is the only European pure-play humanoid company at unicorn scale.
Why This Funding Matters for UK Startups
The company raises $152 million at a moment when the UK government is actively seeking to build a domestic robotics and AI hardware industry. The company’s £1.35 billion valuation, achieved in just over two years from founding, demonstrates that European deep tech can compete at the global frontier in hardware, not just software.
For the UK startup ecosystem, this is a landmark moment. The startup joins a small group of British deep tech companies, alongside Wayve, Graphcore, and Arm, that have achieved billion-dollar valuations in genuinely hard technology categories. The combination of Prime Movers Lab’s backing, Bosch’s manufacturing commitment, and Schaeffler’s commercial order makes this one of the most comprehensively validated deep tech raises in UK history.
Future Roadmap
With $152 million secured, the company will deliver its HMND 01 beta in Q4 2026, begin fulfilment of Schaeffler’s 1,000-unit order, and scale manufacturing with Bosch towards the 100,000-unit capacity the partnership enables. Longer term, the company is expected to expand its product line beyond the HMND 01 and pursue additional industrial partnerships across European manufacturing sectors.
Conclusion
The startup has raised $152 million to build Europe’s defining humanoid robotics company. With a $1.35 billion valuation, £1.8 billion in pre-orders, Bosch manufacturing capacity, and a Schaeffler commercial partnership, the London-based startup has assembled the industrial and financial backing needed to turn a bold robotics vision into a global manufacturing business. Follow BestStartup UK for the latest UK startup funding news, technology breakthroughs, and founder stories.
Why Humanoid’s $152M Series A Leads Europe’s Robotics Race
The $152M Series A stands out not just for its size but for its commercial validation. Unlike many robotics companies that raise capital without shipping products, Humanoid has secured approximately £1.8 billion in pre-orders before its HMND 01 even reaches beta. According to TechCrunch, humanoid robotics is now attracting more venture capital than at any point in history, driven by advances in AI and motor control. The UK government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan identifies robotics as a priority sector, giving companies like Humanoid a policy tailwind. Prime Movers Lab, the lead investor, has previously backed breakthrough physical science companies including Relativity Space and Varda Space Industries, bringing deep hardware expertise to the cap table. The British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) has noted that UK deep tech fundraising reached record levels in 2026, with hardware and robotics leading the charge.
The company joins a wave of major UK deep tech raises in 2026. Valarian raised £37M to build UK sovereign AI infrastructure, while CuspAI secured $450M for its AI materials foundry. Together these signal that the UK is cementing its position as Europe’s leading destination for deep tech venture capital. For a broader view, see our round-up of UK AI startup funding milestones in 2026 and Nscale’s $2B Series C, Europe’s largest-ever raise.
How much did Humanoid raise in its Series A?
Humanoid raised $152 million (approximately £118 million) in a Series A round in July 2026, led by Prime Movers Lab at a post-money valuation of $1.35 billion, making it Europe’s first humanoid robotics unicorn.
What is the HMND 01 robot?
The HMND 01 is Humanoid’s flagship wheeled humanoid robot designed for industrial and warehouse environments. It uses wheels for reliable locomotion and upper-body manipulation for interacting with objects and machinery. The HMND 01 beta is planned for Q4 2026.
Who invested in Humanoid’s Series A?
The Series A was led by Prime Movers Lab, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), HV Capital, and Mubadala, the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund. The round values Humanoid at $1.35 billion post-money.
Why is Humanoid significant for the UK startup ecosystem?
Humanoid is London-based and became Europe’s first pure-play humanoid robotics unicorn, demonstrating that the UK can produce world-class hardware and deep tech companies. Its £1.8 billion pre-order pipeline shows strong commercial validation ahead of product launch.
When will the HMND 01 robot ship to customers?
Humanoid plans to launch the HMND 01 beta in Q4 2026. The company has approximately £1.8 billion in pre-orders, suggesting strong demand from industrial and logistics customers across Europe and the US.
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