1X struck a deal to send its ‘home’ humanoids to factories and warehouses

1X, a robotics company known for its consumer-focused humanoid robot Neo, has struck a strategic partnership to supply up to 10,000 Neo robots between 2026 and 2030 to the portfolio companies of EQT, a major Swedish multi-asset investor and one of 1X’s backers. These portfolio companies, numbering over 300, primarily operate in manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, and other industrial sectors. While 1X also produces an industrial robot called Eve Industrial, this deal uniquely involves the Neo model, which was originally marketed as a $20,000 consumer-ready humanoid designed to assist with household chores and personal tasks. This shift from a home use case to industrial applications highlights the challenges of selling humanoid robots for personal use, including high cost, privacy concerns, and safety issues around pets and children. Industrial environments present a more straightforward market for humanoid robots, likely explaining the pivot. Although 1X declined to disclose exact pre-order numbers for Neo