Agility Robotics Announces Strategic Investment and Partnership with Motion Technology Company Schaeffler Group
Agility Robotics, the creator of the leading bipedal mobile manipulation robot (MMR), DigitⓇ, announced at the Web Summit global technology conference that the Schaeffler Group has acquired a minority stake in the company. Beyond this investment, Agility Robotics and Schaeffler have also signed an agreement in which Schaeffler, a global leader in motion technology, intends to deploy humanoid robots from Agility Robotics across its worldwide network of manufacturing plants.
Andreas Schick, Chief Operating Officer of Schaeffler AG, emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, “In times of transformation, implementing innovative manufacturing solutions is crucial to success, and humanoid robots are poised to play a key role. At Schaeffler, we are committed to integrating this technology into our operations and see the potential to deploy a considerable number of humanoid robots across our 100 manufacturing sites worldwide by 2030. This collaboration with Agility Robotics will accelerate our progress in this area, bringing new efficiencies and safety measures to our facilities.”
Agility Robotics has been a leader in humanoid robotics, becoming the first company to officially launch humanoid robots commercially earlier this year. This milestone came after Agility Robotics signed a multi-year contract with GXO, the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider, to deploy Digit in GXO’s logistics operations. The partnership with GXO also marked the industry’s first deployment of humanoid robots as Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS), a model that allows companies to benefit from the robots without full ownership.
Agility Robotics’ flagship robot, Digit, is specifically designed to address critical challenges in warehousing, manufacturing, and logistics. With its bipedal locomotion and manipulation capabilities, Digit is capable of performing tasks that traditionally require both human agility and precision, such as moving and sorting items or navigating complex environments. This versatility has made it a promising tool for organizations aiming to optimize their operations in ways that were previously only achievable with human labor.
Through their investment in Agility Robotics, Schaeffler is also signaling a broader commitment to robotics and automation in manufacturing. Schaeffler’s network of global facilities and their operational scale make them an ideal testbed for Digit and for evaluating the broader impact of humanoid robots on productivity and safety within industrial settings. Schaeffler envisions humanoid robots as essential to addressing challenges related to workforce shortages, ergonomics, and efficiency across its production lines and distribution centers.
Peggy Johnson, CEO of Agility Robotics, highlighted the significance of the Schaeffler partnership, noting, “We are thrilled to welcome Schaeffler as both a customer and investor and are excited to add value to their operations through the deployment of Digit. As our technology supports companies like Schaeffler in transforming their manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing processes, the successful scaling of humanoid robots will require collaboration with humans and operation outside the safety cages where robots are traditionally confined. I am confident that Agility will be the first company to deliver a safe, humanoid robot capable of working alongside people in the next 24 months.”
The collaboration with Schaeffler represents a significant step in Agility Robotics’ broader vision of integrating humanoid robots into mainstream industrial and logistical applications. While industrial robots have been used in controlled environments for years, most have been limited to stationary or repetitive tasks, often within “safety cages” designed to prevent human-robot interaction. The advent of humanoid robots like Digit introduces a new paradigm, where robots can operate alongside human workers in dynamic, unstructured settings without the same restrictions.
As the robotics industry evolves, safety remains a primary concern, especially for robots intended to work alongside humans. Agility Robotics is addressing this by focusing on “human-aware” design, which allows robots like Digit to anticipate human movements, avoid obstacles, and adjust tasks in real-time. This is essential not only for worker safety but also for fostering trust in environments where robots and humans must interact closely.
Schaeffler’s strategic investment and adoption of Digit are expected to provide valuable insights for both companies. By deploying Digit across its network, Schaeffler can assess the benefits of using robots to perform repetitive or strenuous tasks, which may improve ergonomics for human workers while also enhancing efficiency. For Agility Robotics, Schaeffler’s commitment validates their product’s potential and provides an opportunity to refine Digit’s capabilities in large-scale, real-world industrial settings.
Agility Robotics and Schaeffler are both looking ahead to what the next decade will bring, with Schaeffler planning to increase its use of humanoid robots across its global facilities by 2030. This partnership underscores the transformative potential of humanoid robots in revolutionizing manufacturing and logistics, setting new standards for efficiency and safety in these sectors.
With this investment, Schaeffler joins the growing list of companies committed to integrating next-generation robotics into their operations, a move expected to inspire others in the industry to consider the benefits of humanoid robotics. As Agility Robotics continues to innovate and scale, collaborations like this bring their vision of safe, agile robots operating alongside humans one step closer to reality.
