1X, the robotics company best known for developing NEO—the first humanoid robot ready to ship commercially—has taken a significant step toward bringing humanoid machines into everyday business operations. The company announced a strategic partnership with EQT, one of the world’s largest private equity firms, in a move that positions humanoid robots closer to mainstream commercial use than ever before.
At the heart of the partnership is an ambitious plan: making up to 10,000 humanoid robots available to EQT’s global portfolio companies between 2026 and 2030. While each business within the portfolio will decide individually whether to adopt the technology, the scale of the agreement signals a growing confidence in humanoid robots as practical tools for workforce transformation.
For both sides, the collaboration is about more than distributing hardware. It is designed to give companies early access to 1X’s production capacity and integration capabilities—essential components for deploying robots that can work safely and reliably alongside humans. EQT’s portfolio companies stand to gain a first-mover advantage in areas where labor shortages, rising operational complexity, and safety demands continue to intensify.
The initial rollouts will begin with pilot projects in the United States in 2026, followed by rapid expansion into Europe and Asia. The focus is on environments where humanoid robots can support or augment human teams, including logistics, facility operations, warehousing, manufacturing, healthcare, and industrial software. These are industries where physically demanding, repetitive, or risk-heavy tasks often create operational bottlenecks.
Speaking on the partnership, Bernt Øivind Børnich, Founder and CEO of 1X, said the agreement brings humanoid robotics “into the real economy.” He emphasized that EQT’s global reach and operational experience make it a natural partner for scaling this technology responsibly and safely. Børnich noted that the goal is not only to improve productivity but also to build more sustainable labor models.
From EQT’s side, the enthusiasm is just as strong. Ted Persson, Lead Partner at EQT Ventures—which first invested in 1X in 2023—described the moment as a shift from science fiction to real-world deployment. He framed the partnership as an opportunity to give human workers “superpowers,” allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks while robots handle operational strain.
The companies share a vision of humans and humanoids working together in complementary ways.
