Figure signs agreement with Catalyst Brands for humanoid robot rollout in Reno

Figure AI just landed one of the most consequential deals in the brief history of humanoid robotics. The Sunnyvale-based company signed a commercial partnership with Catalyst Brands to deploy its robots at a distribution center in Reno, Nevada, where they’ll work alongside the facility’s existing sorting infrastructure.

For a company that raised $675 million in Series B funding in early 2024 with backing from OpenAI, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Jeff Bezos, this is the moment where lab demos meet loading docks.

What the robots will actually do

The deployment will take place at Catalyst Brands’ Distribution Logistics Center in Reno. Figure’s humanoid robots will assist with what’s called the Joey Pouch sorting system, a computerized platform that handles induction, sorting, and packing operations.

Catalyst Brands isn’t some niche player, either. The company’s portfolio includes JCPenney, Aéropostale, and Brooks Brothers, among other retail names.

Figure AI’s path from fundraising to fulfillment

Figure AI was founded by CEO Brett Adcock, who announced the Catalyst Brands deal publicly via social media. The company has moved quickly since its founding, securing a $675 million Series B round that valued the company among the most well-funded robotics startups in the world. The investor list includes OpenAI, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Jeff Bezos.

Recent demonstrations from Figure have showcased robots performing 24- and 40-hour autonomous warehouse operations, handling package sorting without human intervention. But demonstrations and commercial deployments are separated by a canyon of engineering challenges. Robots need to handle edge cases, work safely alongside humans, and operate reliably across shifts without constant supervision.

What this means for investors

This partnership is being characterized as one of the first large-scale commercial deployments of humanoid robots in logistics. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, and neither was the scale of the initial deployment. Without knowing how many robots are going in, what the contract is worth, or what success metrics have been established, it’s difficult to gauge the near-term revenue impact for Figure AI.

The competitive landscape is also heating up. Tesla’s Optimus program, Boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics with its Digit platform, and several well-funded Chinese robotics firms are all pursuing similar commercial opportunities. Figure AI’s advantage right now is that it has a signed deal with a major retail conglomerate.

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