First-Half Humanoid Robot Investment Reaches 12 Trillion Won… All-Time High

Investment pouring into the field of 'humanoid robots'—machines that move like humans—reached $8.6 billion (approximately 12.5826 trillion won) in the first half of this year alone, marking the largest scale in history. This figure surpasses 1.8 times the total investment for all of last year, indicating that humanoid robots have entered a commercialization stage to replace human labor. Analysts predict this will trigger structural changes across the entire industry, including manufacturing and logistics.

According to data compiled by Tech Funding News (TFN) and Dealroom, this investment was driven by massive fundraising by key startups like Figure AI and Neural Robotics, as well as Hyundai Motor Group's move to acquire a stake in Boston Dynamics. As global big tech and finished vehicle manufacturers race to secure AI-based robotics technology, the early battle for dominance in the humanoid robot market is officially heating up.

Specifically, Figure AI raised $2.34 billion, achieving a corporate valuation of $39 billion, while Germany's Neural Robotics also joined the $7 billion valuation club after raising $1.4 billion in a Series C round. China's Agile Robotics and Unitree Robotics raised $314 million and $265 million, respectively.

Major companies that have secured such massive funds are accelerating the push to increase robot intelligence and establish mass production systems, a move expected to further accelerate the pace of technological advancement within the existing robotics ecosystem.