Addverb Technologies, a robotics company backed by Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest person and chairman of Reliance, has announced an ambitious plan to launch intelligent humanoid robots by 2025. The Noida-based company is focused on developing innovative AI-driven robotic solutions to transform various industries, including fashion, retail and energy.
This strategic move positions Addverb as a new contender in the increasingly competitive global robotics landscape, where companies such as Tesla have shown significant interest. With Ambani's entry into the sector, India is now poised to compete with major players from the US and China, such as Tesla, Boston Dynamics and Agility Robotics.
According to Sangeet Kumar, CEO of Addverb, the primary goal of this development is to address "3D" jobs - those that are boring, dirty and dangerous. Addverb will leverage its strategic partnership with Reliance Industries, as well as Jio's AI platform and 5G services, to support this innovation.
Next-Gen Robots Arrive
Equipped with the latest GPU technology, energy-efficient actuators and versatile dual-arm manipulation systems, these humanoid robots are designed to perform a variety of tasks in complex environments. With Visual and Language Action (VLA) capabilities, these robots can interact with their environment in an intuitive and autonomous way.
With self-learning algorithms and deep multimodal data, these humanoid robots can adapt quickly and flexibly. They will become valuable assets in applications ranging from logistics and manufacturing to disaster response, with capabilities such as package handling, quality inspection, sorting, assembly and rescue.
While Tesla's Optimus robots are estimated to cost between $20,000 and $25,000, Addverb's Kumar acknowledges that developing humanoid robots is a significant investment. However, he is confident that Addverb will be able to compete in a fiercely competitive global market, including Chinese companies that often benefit from government subsidies.
The technical specifications and pricing details of Addverb's humanoid robots have not yet been officially announced.
Addverb: Shaping India's Robotics Future
Besides Addverb, Mukesh Ambani also backs Hanooman AI, which was launched by BharatGPT this year. Founded in 2016, Addverb provides smart robotics solutions for warehousing and industrial automation.
With key customers such as Reliance, HUL and PepsiCo, Addverb aims to create a downstream ecosystem in line with the 'Make in India' vision and increase the density of humanoid robots in India while expanding global adoption.
Headquartered in India, Addverb has manufacturing and R&D facilities in India and the US, and offices in Australia, Singapore, the Netherlands and the US. Its product portfolio includes autonomous mobile robots, sorting robots, automated storage and retrieval systems, and picking technologies used by over 350 companies, including Flipkart, Unilever and Johnson & Johnson.
Since Reliance became a strategic investor in 2021, Addverb has implemented its robotics solutions across various Reliance businesses such as retail, fashion, petrochemicals and healthcare. In developing humanoid robots, Addverb will collaborate with Reliance, leveraging Jio's AI platform and 5G services, while integrating this technology across the group's businesses.
