UMA Launches with $243 Billion Market Projection for Humanoid and Mobile Robotics by 2035

Paris, France – UMA (Universal Mechanical Assistant), a new robotics intelligence company, officially launched today with a mission to develop general-purpose mobile and humanoid robots. The company aims to transition artificial intelligence from screens into real-world applications across various industries. Analysts project the humanoid and mobile robotics market to reach $243 billion by 2035, underscoring the significant potential UMA is targeting.

The founding team comprises industry veterans from leading technology firms. Pierre Sermanet, Chief Science Officer, announced the launch, stating, "I’m really happy to share that we’re launching UMA." He is joined by Remi Cadene (CEO), formerly of Tesla Autopilot and Optimus; Simon Alibert (CTO), co-founder of LeRobot at Hugging Face; and Robert Knight (Chief Robot Officer), known for his work with The Robot Studio and the open-source SO-100 robot.

UMA plans to address critical operational challenges in sectors such as logistics, healthcare, and manufacturing. The company highlighted labor shortages and rising operational costs as key drivers for the adoption of advanced robotics. UMA's strategy involves developing two complementary systems: a mobile industrial robot with dual arms for environments like warehouses and assembly lines, and a compact humanoid robot designed for human-centric spaces.

The company's approach emphasizes data-driven, adaptable, and self-improving robotic intelligence. Pierre Sermanet detailed his career-long obsession with "scalable learning and data acquisition methods that require little to no labels," a vision he brings to UMA. Yann LeCun, Meta’s Chief AI Scientist, is supporting UMA as an advisor and investor, adding significant credibility to the venture.

UMA is backed by a robust group of investors including Greycroft, Relentless, Unity Growth, Factorial, ALM Ventures, and Drysdale. The company is accelerating development and plans to launch pilot programs in logistics and manufacturing by 2026. UMA is actively hiring engineers and researchers globally to push the boundaries of physical intelligence and deliver reliable, safe, and productive robots.