Hugging Face buys Pollen Robotics, adding a physical dimension to its open-source AI ecosystem. The acquisition, which was finalized for an undisclosed sum, is poised to reshape the future of open-source robotics by merging AI model development with humanoid hardware innovation.
The French-based startup, Pollen Robotics, gained recognition for its flagship product Reachy 2 — a modular humanoid robot designed to perform everyday tasks and interact naturally with humans. Now, under Hugging Face’s umbrella, the robot is set to become more accessible to global developers who will not only be able to purchase the robot but also download and improve its open-source code.
This latest move underlines Hugging Face’s commitment to bridging the gap between artificial intelligence and real-world robotics applications. The news that Hugging Face buys humanoid robotics startup Pollen Robotics comes as no surprise to industry insiders, as the two companies had already been collaborating on multiple open-source initiatives, including their joint project “Le Robot” — an AI-powered robot trained to carry out household chores.
A New Chapter for Pollen Robotics
Founded in 2016 by Matthieu Lapeyre and Pierre Rouanet, Pollen Robotics set out with an ambitious goal: make humanoid robots both affordable and open-source for the average household. The startup has enjoyed a steady stream of attention in the robotics community for its sleek design and collaborative approach. Before the acquisition, the company had raised approximately €2.5 million (around $2.83 million USD) from notable investors, including Bpifrance, as recorded by Crunchbase.
Now that Hugging Face buys humanoid robotics startup Pollen Robotics, the future of Reachy 2 appears brighter than ever. The robot is expected to be further integrated into Hugging Face’s open-source ecosystem, allowing AI researchers, hobbyists, and companies to collaborate in real-time to enhance its abilities and expand its capabilities.
Strengthening Hugging Face’s Robotics Arm
This acquisition not only brings Reachy 2 into Hugging Face’s portfolio but also strengthens its broader robotics division, which the company quietly began developing in recent years. In 2023, Hugging Face formed a dedicated robotics team led by Remi Cadene, a former engineer at Tesla’s Optimus robot program, signaling the company’s serious intent to make its mark on the robotics industry.
With Hugging Face’s growing library of open-source AI models, the potential for real-world applications is huge. Now that Hugging Face buys humanoid robotics startup Pollen Robotics, the company is positioned to turn that software prowess into tangible products, setting the stage for a new era of open-source humanoid robots capable of performing real-world tasks.
Open-Source Meets Real-World Hardware
One of the most exciting aspects of the acquisition is the shared philosophy between Hugging Face and Pollen Robotics: both companies strongly advocate for open collaboration and transparency. Just like Hugging Face’s AI models, the software powering Reachy 2 will remain open-source, giving developers the freedom to experiment, suggest improvements, and customize the robot for a variety of applications — from research and education to household and industrial automation.
The combination of Hugging Face’s AI expertise and Pollen Robotics’ hardware innovation could push the boundaries of what open-source robots can achieve. With AI models becoming smarter and hardware becoming more adaptable, the next generation of humanoid robots might arrive sooner than expected.
The Future of Hugging Face’s Robot Vision
Now that Hugging Face buys humanoid robotics startup Pollen Robotics, the company is expected to announce further plans for Reachy 2’s development roadmap in the coming months. Industry experts anticipate the introduction of community-driven features, AI-driven task automation, and possibly even advanced versions of humanoid robots designed for commercial use.
The acquisition makes one thing clear: Hugging Face is betting big on the convergence of AI software and robotics hardware — and it’s inviting the entire global developer community along for the ride.
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