UMA (Universal Mechanical Assistant), a new robotics intelligence startup founded by former leaders from Tesla, Google DeepMind, Nvidia, and Hugging Face, officially launches with a bold mission: to integrate advanced AI into physical environments and create humanoid robots capable of performing real-world tasks at scale.
The company’s founders have played pivotal roles in shaping the past decade of innovations in deep learning, robotics, and open-source AI. They firmly believe that the next phase of artificial intelligence will move beyond screens and enter warehouses, hospitals, labs, factories, and homes, where machines must navigate unpredictability, friction, and human complexity. UMA is purpose-built to drive this transition from digital intelligence to physical autonomy.
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AI Moves Off the Screen
Over the past ten years, generative models, multimodal systems, and language-driven AI have captured attention. Looking ahead, experts predict that robotics powered by AI capable of seeing, moving, manipulating, and decision-making in dynamic environments will define the next decade. Analysts estimate that the humanoid and mobile robotics market could reach $243 billion by 2035 and surpass $5 trillion by 2050, driven by labor shortages, rising operational costs, and the need for resilient, always-on production.
UMA’s founders stress that this evolution demands a new kind of robotic intelligence: one that is data-driven, adaptable, self-improving, and safe enough to operate alongside human teams.
Engineering Expertise at the Core
UMA’s leadership team brings decades of global experience. Remi Cadene helped pioneer Tesla Autopilot and Optimus while democratizing robot learning at Hugging Face with LeRobot. Pierre Sermanet advanced deep learning and robotics research at NYU and Google DeepMind. Simon Alibert co-founded LeRobot and specializes in scalable learning infrastructure, and Robert Knight brings over 25 years of humanoid robotics experience, including the open-source SO-100 robot. Collectively, they aim to develop robots that excel not just in demos but in reliable, real-world production.
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Addressing Global Operational Challenges
The need for advanced robotics is urgent. In logistics, labor costs can account for up to 50% of warehouse expenses, with turnover exceeding 40% annually in the US. Healthcare faces a projected shortfall of 10 million workers by 2030, including 4.8 million nurses and midwives. Meanwhile, the global population aged 65 and above is expected to rise from 10% today to 16% by 2050, increasing demand for care and autonomy. UMA aims to tackle these challenges by deploying robots that handle repetitive, physically demanding tasks, allowing humans to focus on higher-value work.
Two Complementary Systems
UMA is developing a dual approach: a mobile industrial robot with dual arms for warehouses and assembly lines, and a compact humanoid robot designed for human-centric spaces. These systems balance cutting-edge innovation with practical operational needs.
Human-Centered and Scalable
UMA prioritizes durability, safety, and real-world performance, producing lightweight, repairable systems intended for civilian use. The company believes robotics should enhance human capabilities, improving safety, efficiency, and opportunities.
Supported by global investors such as Greycroft, Relentless, Unity Growth, >Commit, Factorial, ALM Ventures, and Drysdale, along with AI luminaries including Olivier Pomel, Yann LeCun, Thomas Wolf, Soumith Chintala, and Nicolas Rosberg, UMA is now hiring engineers, researchers, and operational specialists worldwide to advance the frontier of physical intelligence.
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