美国知名机器人公司 倒闭

Core Insights - K-Scale Labs, a prominent robotics startup in Silicon Valley, has announced its closure due to insufficient operational funding, leading to employee layoffs and refunding of deposits for pre-ordered robots [1][4] Company Overview - K-Scale Labs was founded in 2024 and is based in Palo Alto, California, focusing on creating an open-source, low-cost humanoid robot platform for researchers and developers [2] - The company had a valuation of $50 million after raising approximately $4 million in seed funding in February 2024, led by Fellows Fund [2] - In April 2024, notable investors Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross contributed an additional $250,000 to the company [2] - A strategic partnership was formed in June 2024 with Tao Motor Inc, which invested $2 million to support K-Scale Labs in various aspects including funding and market expansion [2] Product Launch and Market Response - K-Scale Labs launched its latest low-cost humanoid robot, K-Bot, in July 2024, priced at $16,000 (approximately 115,000 RMB) with an early bird price of $8,999 (approximately 65,000 RMB) for the first 100 pre-orders [2] - The company reportedly received over 200 pre-orders for K-Bot, but customers were informed of the company's closure before receiving their robots [4] Industry Context - K-Scale Labs is not the only robotics company facing closure; at least 10 robotics companies have shut down since the beginning of 2024 [6] - The challenges faced by K-Scale Labs highlight a broader trend in the robotics industry, where companies struggle to secure funding and compete with Chinese firms that have received substantial production funding [4][10] - In contrast, the Chinese robotics sector has seen over 600 investment events in the first three quarters of 2024, indicating a robust investment climate [10] Future Outlook - The closure of K-Scale Labs raises concerns about the future of low-cost humanoid robotics in the West, as it diminishes alternatives to competitively priced Chinese robots [4] - The industry is currently facing significant challenges in mass production and delivery, with major players like Tesla and local Chinese companies pushing their production timelines to 2026 [10][11]