1X Technologies is a Norwegian-American robotics and artificial intelligence company developing general-purpose humanoid robots for home environments. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, with main manufacturing operations in Hayward and additional manufacturing in Moss, Norway. It focuses on creating robots capable of operating in unstructured domestic settings, combining advances in Robotics and Artificial intelligence to address tasks such as household chores and assistance.
The company traces its origins to 2014, when Norwegian roboticist Bernt Øivind Børnich founded Halodi Robotics. Over the following decade, it transitioned from industrial and healthcare robotics to domestic applications, rebranding as 1X Technologies in 2022. Its product line includes EVE, a wheeled humanoid for institutional use, and NEO, a bipedal robot designed for private homes, with pre-orders opened in October 2025.
History
1X Technologies was founded in 2014 by Norwegian roboticist Bernt Øivind Børnich under the name Halodi Robotics. The company initially focused on developing safe actuators and full-body control systems for industrial and healthcare robotics. These early efforts emphasized mechanical compliance and energy efficiency, laying groundwork for later consumer-oriented designs.
In 2018, it released its first humanoid robot, EVE, designed for logistics, security, and medical environments. EVE served as a testbed for the company's proprietary actuation, perception, and manipulation technologies, allowing engineers to gather real-world operational data. In 2022, the company rebranded as 1X Technologies and shifted its focus to domestic robotics, developing humanoid assistants intended for use in private homes.
In March 2023, 1X raised US$23.5 million in Series A2 funding, led by the OpenAI Startup Fund, with participation from Tiger Global, Sandwater, Alliance Ventures, and Skagerak Capital. This investment signaled growing interest in embodied AI applications, particularly those linked to OpenAI and its broader ecosystem. In January 2024, the company secured $100 million in Series B funding led by EQT Ventures, alongside Samsung NEXT, Nistad Group, and existing investors, supporting scale-up of manufacturing and software development.
In September 2025, it was reported that 1X Technologies was seeking to raise $1 billion in new funding to support the development and deployment of its humanoid robots for home environments. The proposed round reflected ambitions to transition from pilot deployments to mass production, with a focus on improving autonomy through Training data collected from early users.
Products
EVE
EVE is a wheeled humanoid robot designed for industrial and institutional use in logistics, security, and healthcare. It features a torso, arms, and a head mounted on a mobile base, enabling navigation in corridors and open spaces. EVE served as a platform for real-world testing of 1X's proprietary actuation, perception, and manipulation technologies, including object handling and remote operation.
The robot was deployed in settings such as warehouses and office buildings, where it performed tasks like patrolling and inventory checks. Its design prioritized safety around humans, with force-limited joints and sensor suites for obstacle detection. EVE also provided a data collection vehicle for Machine learning models, informing development of later products.
NEO
NEO is 1X's bipedal humanoid robot designed specifically for home use. The robot features humanlike motion, a slim anthropomorphic design, and is intended to operate in unstructured home environments. Unlike EVE, NEO walks on two legs, allowing it to navigate stairs and narrow spaces typical of residential settings.
The first version of NEO was introduced as NEO Beta on August 30, 2024. This prototype demonstrated walking, grasping, and basic household tasks, but was not commercially available. On February 21, 2025, 1X introduced an update that featured a sleeker design, known as NEO Gamma, with improved aesthetics and quieter actuators.
On October 28, 2025, 1X opened pre-orders for NEO, also known as NEO Home Robot, a humanoid robot designed for use in private homes, scheduled for release in 2026. It will be available in tan, gray, and dark brown, and cost $20,000 for early adopters; it is also planned to be offered as a subscription service for $499 per month. The pricing strategy aimed to balance upfront purchase with service-based access, similar to models in consumer electronics.
Joanna Stern reported that as of October 2025, most tasks were teleoperated by a human with a virtual reality headset, raising concerns about privacy. This revelation highlighted the gap between marketed autonomy and current operational reality, with remote operators performing actions like picking up objects or opening doors. The company plans to provide an app where users can schedule sessions during which a remote operator can accomplish tasks, with sessions monitored for safety.
CEO Bernt Børnich said that obtaining training data from early adopters was needed to improve the autonomy of the robot. This approach leverages real-world demonstrations to train Neural network policies, reducing reliance on scripted behaviors. In July 2026, the company detailed the NEO's hands, which have 25 degrees of freedom and approach the capabilities of a human hand, enabling fine manipulation of tools and objects.
Technology and Design
1X Technologies emphasizes safe actuation, using elastic or series-elastic actuators that absorb impacts and reduce stiffness. This design philosophy contrasts with traditional industrial robots, prioritizing human-robot interaction in shared spaces. The company also develops full-body control systems that coordinate limbs and balance in real time.
Perception systems on NEO and EVE integrate cameras, depth sensors, and inertial measurement units to map environments and detect objects. These inputs feed into Deep learning models for vision and motion planning, with continuous updates from field data. The robots are designed to operate with varying levels of autonomy, from teleoperation to semi-autonomous task execution.
Manufacturing occurs in Hayward, California, and Moss, Norway, with a focus on vertical integration of components such as actuators and electronics. The company has invested in assembly lines capable of producing thousands of units annually, though production volumes as of 2025 remained limited.
Funding and Investors
1X Technologies has attracted significant venture capital, reflecting investor confidence in humanoid robotics. The March 2023 Series A2 round of $23.5 million was led by the OpenAI Startup Fund, with participation from Tiger Global, Sandwater, Alliance Ventures, and Skagerak Capital. This connection to OpenAI Startup Fund positioned 1X within a portfolio of AI-driven companies.
The January 2024 Series B round of $100 million was led by EQT Ventures, with Samsung NEXT, Nistad Group, and existing investors participating. Samsung NEXT's involvement suggested potential synergies with consumer electronics, such as integration with smart home systems. The proposed $1 billion round in 2025, if completed, would rank among the largest in the robotics sector, funding expansion of production and AI research.
Market and Competition
The humanoid robot market has seen growing interest from companies like Figure AI and Sanctuary AI, as well as established firms in automotive and electronics. 1X differentiates itself through a focus on home environments, whereas many competitors target industrial settings. The subscription model for NEO aims to lower entry barriers, though teleoperation costs remain a challenge.
Analysts note that achieving full autonomy in homes is technically demanding due to variability in layouts, objects, and human behavior. 1X's strategy of deploying teleoperated units first allows data collection for Reinforcement learning and imitation learning, potentially accelerating progress. As of late 2025, no competitor had announced a comparable consumer humanoid with a defined price point.
Future Outlook
1X Technologies plans to ship NEO in 2026, with early adopters receiving units for testing and feedback. The company intends to expand its app ecosystem, allowing users to schedule teleoperation sessions and monitor robot status. Long-term goals include reducing reliance on remote operators through improved Artificial intelligence models trained on collected data.
The company also explores partnerships for home integration, such as connectivity with smart devices and voice assistants. Regulatory considerations, including privacy and safety standards, are expected to shape deployment. If the $1 billion funding round materializes, 1X could scale production to meet anticipated demand, though market adoption remains uncertain.
See Also
References
Information in this article is based on public reports and company announcements as of 2025. Specific claims about funding, product specifications, and release dates are attributed to sources cited in the original Wikipedia entry.
External Links
Official website