Feather Robotics Targets Developers With $30,000 Modular Humanoid Platform
Backed by Gradient Ventures, the startup has generated over $1 million in revenue by selling customizable robotics hardware to deploy third-party physical AI models.
Humanoid robotics startup Feather Robotics is pursuing an open platform strategy for physical artificial intelligence, building modular hardware and software designed for third-party developers, according to a report from TechCrunch Startups (https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/24/meet-feather-the-startup-building-the-android-of-robotics-for-developers/).
Founded last year by Hoa Mai and Parsa Bakhtiari, the company aims to become the Android of robotics. Mai previously sold a humanoid startup to 1X in 2025, while Bakhtiari is a former Tesla Model 3 engineer who reported directly to Elon Musk. Feather is backed by Gradient Ventures, which led the startup's previously disclosed $7.6 million pre-seed round.
Rather than attempting to build both proprietary foundational AI brains and physical bodies like Tesla or Figure, Feather provides hardware that can run models from external robotics AI providers, including Generalist, Skild, and Physical Intelligence. Its modular design allows developers to customize hardware configurations, such as adjusting arm lengths, for specific commercial environments.
Feather has already surpassed $1 million in revenue from small-batch sales. While the company has not disclosed specific customer names, it said its robots are deployed as cooks in Japanese restaurants and performing cleaning tasks in science laboratories.
Feather prices its robot at $30,000, roughly half the cost of Unitree's H2 Edu. Co-founder Mai acknowledged taking inspiration from Chinese robotics manufacturers like Unitree, but noted that restrictions on foreign-made models entering the United States have positioned Feather as a domestic alternative. Gradient General Partner Darian Shirazi stated that Feather faces no direct U.S. competitors building a modular humanoid developer platform, noting the company has spent only a fraction of its pre-seed funding.
Following a year of field testing, Feather is preparing for a broader product launch, betting on rapid growth among physical AI application developers over the next five years.
Sources
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