From Humanoid Dreams to $100M Reality: The 1X Technologies Founder Playbook

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Pablo here. Today we’re diving into a story that’s less about overnight success and more about a decade of grinding, iteration and strategic pivots. This is the founder playbook behind 1X Technologies (formerly Halodi Robotics). It’s about chasing something huge — humanoid robots in your home — and slowly building out the tech, the funding, the brand and the vision to make it real. If you’re in hardware, AI, or building what seems “too futuristic” — this one’s for you.

🧠 The Spark: Robot Motion + Human Adaptability

Founder Bernt Øyvind Børnich didn’t wake up and decide to found a startup. He grew up obsessed with robotics, programming, and the idea of machines that move like us. His prior experience in autonomous driving and industrial robotics taught him that existing robots were fast but rigid — humans were slow but adaptable.

In 2014, he founded what became Halodi Robotics in Moss, Norway. The MVP wasn’t glitzy. It was a robot platform focusing on full-body motion, custom actuators (Revo1), and interaction in human environments. The idea: what if robots could sense, move, react — not just follow fixed routines?

Key thought:

🏗 Execution Timeline: Long Game, Big Vision

Notice: this is not a fast-flip startup. It’s a long play — tech taking years to mature, funding rounds spaced out, vision expanding. Good reminder: sometimes “overnight success” is the visible tip of a decade-long iceberg.

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🔑 Why 1X Works: Four Strategic Levers

1. Foundational Tech + Unique Hardware

1X didn’t just build robots. They invented key components (Revo1 motors, tendon-driven actuation) so the robots could safely move like humans. Because hardware matters when you’re building autonomous machines.

2. Pivot from Industrial → Consumer

They started with industrial/warehouse use (EVE) — safe environments, structured tasks. Then pivoted toward the home — messy, unstructured, high growth potential. That pivot opens the TAM (total addressable market) massively.

3. Build the Full Stack: Hardware + AI + Data

They understand robotics isn’t just mechanics — it’s embodied intelligence. They build robots that learn from real-world data in human environments. That data flywheel becomes a moat.

4. Platform Moment: Home Robot as Service

The step from “robot in factory” to “robot in home” is huge. 1X is positioning “NEO” as service + hardware + subscription. Home robotics is the next frontier after mobile. Trend-ahead move.

🧩 Tactical Breakdown: Playbook for Founders

If you’re building something that feels “too early,” these moves matter:

• Start with deep pain and hardware ambition: Engineer the hard parts (actuators, sensors) even if others focus on software only.

• Pilot in structured environments first: Use industrial cases to validate tech before launching to messy consumer contexts.

• Shift TAM when ready: Move from niche (industrial) → broad (home) once you have core tech.

• Stack revenue models: Hardware sales + subscription + data services = multiple growth levers.

• Narrative & positioning matter: Present your product as future-enabling, not just cool gadget. Home robots = new class of device.

• Raise when compounding signal is real: Series A and Series B only came once key tech and pilot results existed.

📌 Additional Insights You Might’ve Missed

• 1X moved HQ to Palo Alto and consolidated manufacturing/engineering to scale.

• Their home robot “NEO” is priced ~$20,000 for early access, with subscription option ~$499/month — signalling high ambition.

• They aim to deploy robots into homes as training data environments — “the home is the majority of value for embodied AI.”

• The company is now reportedly targeting a $10 b+ valuation in future funding rounds.

🧠 Final Takeaways: Why This Story Matters to You

• If you’re building hardware or AI, the patience pays. 10 years to become visible doesn’t mean you failed — you’re building foundation.

• Launching for enterprise helps validate tech and economics. Consumer scale comes after.

• Narrative + hardware + software + service is the stack winners build.

• If you feel your idea is “too early,” that’s probably good. Being ahead means you have less competition if you survive.

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