During one of Russia’s first opportunities to showcase domestic robotic technology to the world, a highly anticipated humanoid robot developed by startup AIDOL toppled over onstage shortly after its demonstration began at a Moscow tech show. The online fanfare accompanying the viral video overshadowed a still impressive achievement in the early days of humanoids, especially by a team that AIDOL told Business Insider operates independently, without the backing of a large corporation or government funds.
It’s a good reminder that while the big brand names of 2025 appear dominant, there’s room for new players. One of them is Andy Rubin, Android co-founder and former Google executive, who has launched a new humanoid robot startup in Japan, The Information reported. Meanwhile, Tesla has set aggressive timelines for its droid Optimus, set to begin production at the end of next year, according to Business Insider.