1X Technologies is a robotics company specializing in the development of safe, intelligent humanoid robots designed for both household and enterprise environments. Founded in 2014 (originally as Halodi Robotics) and headquartered in Moss, Norway, with significant operations in Sunnyvale, California, 1X’s mission is to create an abundant supply of labor through general-purpose robots that can work alongside humans. The company’s focus is on developing robots that integrate seamlessly into daily life, aiming to address global labor shortages and enhance productivity through advanced physical intelligence.
Leadership
Bernt Øivind Børnich (Founder & CEO): Robotics engineer with a background in autonomous systems and AI, Børnich has led 1X since its inception and is the driving force behind its vision and technical direction.
Jorge Milburn (VP of Sales): Formerly with Tesla, where he led global growth and played a key role in launching the Supercharger network and Model 3 in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Dar Sleeper (VP of Growth): Previously a product manager at Tesla, responsible for launching the Cybertruck campaign and generating demand for electric vehicles.
Per Selvaag (VP of Design): With over 20 years of experience, including roles as chief designer at Peugeot and lead designer at BMW, Selvaag specializes in user research, data analytics, and human-centered design.
Core Technologies
NEO: The flagship bipedal humanoid robot designed for home environments. NEO features a lightweight, “soft” design, advanced AI for natural language and body language interaction, and whole-body control for human-like movement, including walking, squatting, and sitting. Its AI leverages reinforcement learning from human motion-capture data and a proprietary large language model for conversational capabilities.
Eve: The first-generation, wheeled robot used primarily for AI training and data collection, initially targeted at logistics and security applications.
Revo1 BLDC Motor: In-house developed high-torque, low-gear-ratio brushless direct current motors, giving 1X robots industry-leading torque-to-weight performance.
AI & Perception: Utilizes neural networks for manipulation tasks, visual perception, and teleoperated action prediction, enabling robots to handle a wide variety of objects and adapt to new environments.
Human-Robot Interaction: Proprietary LLM-based conversational interface and companion features for natural interaction in household contexts.
Key Capabilities
Household Assistance: NEO is designed to perform common household tasks, such as picking up objects, opening doors, and navigating dynamic home environments with pets and people.
Natural Human Interaction: Robots can understand and respond to voice commands, exhibit human-like gait and gestures, and engage in natural conversation.
Safety: Low-inertia actuators and a soft design philosophy prioritize safe operation around humans.
Data Collection & Learning: Home deployments provide diverse real-world data, improving robot intelligence and adaptability.
Security & Logistics: Earlier deployments of Eve robots focused on night guarding and logistics in commercial buildings.
Investors
OpenAI Startup Fund: Major backer, supporting AI development for humanoid robots.
EQT Ventures: Led the $100 million Series B round in January 2024.
