
In this interview, Apptronik co-founder and CEO Jeff Cardenas outlines the rapid expansion of physical AI and humanoid robotics. Speaking at the Race Summit in Paris, he explains the three commercial phases of robotics, the significance of precision manipulation, and the role of their newly launched data factory, Robot Park. Cardenas also discusses Apptronik's NASA heritage, their modular robot Apollo 2, and the global race for robotics leadership between the United States and China.
Jeff Cardenas is the co-founder and CEO of Apptronik, a leading humanoid robotics company based in Austin, Texas. Under his leadership, the company has raised a record 935 million USD Series A to scale its flagship general-purpose robot, Apollo. With a background working on NASA's Valkyrie robot, Cardenas has spent a decade building physical AI systems designed to serve as essential infrastructure for modern society.
July 10, 2026
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