Humanoid robotics is hot. Valuations are soaring. But Agility Robotics is taking a different route — and its CEO is keeping expectations grounded.
The company, known for its bipedal robot Digit, announced plans to go public via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The deal values the firm at roughly $1.3 billion. For context, that’s modest compared to peers like Figure AI or 1X, which command billions without a commercial fleet in the field.
“We are not promising a robot in your home in two years,” CEO Damion Shelton said in a recent interview. “We are focused on industrial jobs that actually pay, like unloading trailers or moving boxes in a warehouse.”
Digit already works in logistics. Agility’s customers include Amazon and GXO Logistics. The robot can walk, squat, and pick up packages — but it’s not a multitasking assistant. Shelton emphasises that the near-term value is in repetitive, physically demanding tasks where labour is scarce.
For business owners in Cyprus and the EU considering automation, the takeaway is pragmatic: don’t expect a general-purpose robot for the office or shop floor any time soon. Instead, look at task-specific machines that solve a narrow, expensive problem — like warehouse picking or inventory scanning. Those are available today, albeit at a price (Digit leases start around $20,000 per year).
Agility’s SPAC route also signals something about market reality. While Tesla and others hype a future where robots cook dinner, Agility is selling what it can deliver now. “We’re building a company, not a headline,” Shelton said.
The merger is expected to close in late 2024. After that, the company will trade on the NYSE under the ticker RBTY.