UK humanoid developer will supply 100s of robots to Schaeffler
13 January 2026 
The UK robotics and AI company, Humanoid, has announced a strategic technology partnership with Schaeffler, which will deliver hundreds of Humanoid’s robots to the German engineering company’s production facilities over the coming five years. The partnership also covers actuator supply, data collection, skill development, and other areas.
Initial deployments are scheduled to begin with beta-stage robots in 2026-2027. This phase will focus on validating technical integration, operational performance, and compliance with Schaeffler’s system, safety, IT and security requirements. Performance will be measured across metrics such as efficiency, availability, reliability, serviceability, and ease of integration. Following the validation phase, Humanoid plans to offer its robots under a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model for a gamma phase, with both RaaS and CapEx options available for later stages.
Under the agreement, Humanoid and Schaeffler will also strengthen cooperation on the supply and integration of actuator components for Humanoid’s robotic platforms. They will explore the joint development of next-generation actuators, based on technical requirements and design specifications. Schaeffler will become Humanoid’s preferred supplier for joint actuators used for its wheeled platform.
As part of the collaboration, the companies will also work together on data collection and developing skills for humanoid robots. This includes gathering robot-specific and use-case-driven data through teleoperation, synthetic data generation, as well as peripheral data. The collected information will be used to train AI models and to improve robot performance, with skills tailored to Schaeffler’s needs.
“Real-world integration is the ultimate test for humanoid robots,” says Humanoid’s founder, Artem Sokolov. “Moving from pilots to large-scale deployment requires close alignment on systems, data, safety and operations with our partners. Our collaboration with Schaeffler allows us to validate and scale humanoid deployment with clear requirements, measurable outcomes, and long-term plans. Together, we are laying the groundwork for humanoid robots to become a practical and reliable part of industrial environments within just a few years.”
Schaeffler CEO Klaus Rosenfeld adds: “As a motion technology company, we want to play a key role in the growing humanoid robotics market. To do so, we are relying on our decades-long manufacturing excellence and industrialization expertise. With Humanoid, we are gaining an attractive partner in Europe that will enable us to drive forward joint innovations in the field of humanoid robotics.”
Last year, Humanoid and Schaeffler demonstrated a bin-picking application together.
Artem Sokolov founded Humanoid in 2024. The London-headquartered company brings together more than 200 engineers, researchers, and innovators from top global tech companies. Humanoid, which has offices in Boston and Vancouver, is focusing on developing commercially viable, scalable, and safe robots for real-world applications.
