Apptronik, a leader in AI-powered robotics, announced the creation of Elevate Robotics Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary focused on automating industrial tasks beyond human capabilities, on June 24, 2025. While Apptronik continues to advance its humanoid robot Apollo, Elevate Robotics aims to revolutionize heavy-duty industrial automation with innovative, non-humanoid solutions.
Elevate Robotics is set to commercialize a unique multipurpose automation solution designed for tasks that exceed human physical limits. Unlike Apptronik’s Apollo, which focuses on human-like tasks in manufacturing and logistics, Elevate’s non-humanoid robots target heavy-duty applications across various sectors. “We founded Apptronik to build general purpose robots that empower humans,” said Jeff Cardenas, Apptronik co-founder and CEO. “Elevate shares Apptronik’s core, human-centered DNA and vision of building robots to help humanity, and they’re applying novel technology to tackle heavy-duty tasks in various sectors.”
Led by CEO Paul Hvass, previously co-founder of Plus One Robotics, Elevate Robotics combines Apptronik’s roboticists—who developed systems culminating in Apollo—with experienced industrial automation experts. Hvass’s background in AI vision systems enhances Elevate’s potential to deliver cutting-edge solutions. “With a world-class team assembled, Elevate Robotics is well positioned to expand the possibilities of industrial-scale work with superhuman robotics,” Cardenas added.
The launch aligns with the booming robotics market, expected to grow from USD 64.8 billion in 2024 to USD 375.82 billion by 2035, driven by AI and automation advancements. Elevate’s focus on “superhuman” capabilities complements industry trends toward Industry 5.0, emphasizing collaborative and high-capacity robotic systems. Apptronik’s partnerships with NVIDIA, Google DeepMind, and Mercedes-Benz for Apollo deployments underscore its innovation pedigree, positioning Elevate to capture significant market share in industrial automation.
Elevate Robotics aims to transform industries like manufacturing, logistics, and potentially healthcare by deploying robots with unprecedented strength and speed. This strategic spin-off allows Apptronik to maintain its focus on Apollo’s human-centric applications while Elevate pushes the boundaries of industrial-scale automation, offering scalable solutions for complex, high-demand environments. Elevate Robotics represents a bold step in redefining industrial automation, leveraging Apptronik’s AI and robotics expertise to deliver transformative, superhuman solutions. As the robotics market surges, Elevate is poised to drive innovation and efficiency across global industries.
Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered humanoid robots. Our goal is to create human helpers to support humanity in every facet of life. Our robot, Apollo, is designed to collaborate thoughtfully with humans—initially in critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond. Apollo is the culmination of nearly a decade of development, drawing on Apptronik’s extensive work on 15 previous robots, including NASA’s Valkyrie robot. Apptronik started out of the Human Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas at Austin and has over 150 employees.
TechIntelPro empowers B2B technology decision-makers with the latest industry trends, deep insights, leadership perspectives and actionable intelligence to drive both organizational and professional milestones—and thrive on the tech pulse.