Brett Adcock, the founder of humanoid robotics company Figure AI, has launched a new robotics startup called Hark and raised $700 million in Series A funding to develop personalized robotics systems with proprietary models and hardware. The San Jose, California-based company, which is less than one year old, was valued at $6 billion in the funding round led by Parkway Venture Capital.

What Sets Hark Apart From Other Robotics Ventures?

Hark represents a different approach to the robotics market compared to the humanoid-focused strategy that made Figure AI notable. Rather than concentrating solely on general-purpose humanoid robots, Hark plans to build personalized robotics solutions by developing its own artificial intelligence models, training infrastructure, and hardware from the ground up. This vertical integration approach suggests Adcock is betting that specialized, custom-built robotic systems tailored to specific industries or tasks may be more commercially viable than one-size-fits-all humanoid designs.

The timing of Hark's launch and funding reflects a broader industry trend emerging in May 2026. Across the venture capital landscape, investors are increasingly backing companies that pair software intelligence with physical automation, rather than betting exclusively on AI models themselves. This shift indicates that the real value creation in robotics may lie not in the robots themselves, but in the software and customization that makes them useful for real-world applications.

How Does Hark Fit Into the Robotics Funding Boom?

Hark's $700 million Series A funding is part of a significant wave of robotics investment. In May 2026 alone, multiple robotics companies reached unicorn status, including several with different specializations. This diverse funding landscape shows that investors see opportunity across multiple robotics segments, from dexterous hand technology to robot leasing platforms to autonomous software development.

• Personalized Robotics Focus: Hark plans to develop custom models, training systems, and hardware tailored to specific customer needs rather than mass-market solutions.
• Vertical Integration Strategy: By building its own AI models and hardware in-house, Hark aims to control the entire technology stack and offer more specialized solutions than competitors.
• Market Timing: The funding comes as investors increasingly prioritize companies that turn AI advances into practical, real-world applications paired with physical systems.

What Does This Mean for Adcock's Robotics Vision?

Adcock's decision to launch Hark while Figure AI continues operating suggests he sees distinct market opportunities in different robotics approaches. Figure AI gained prominence as a humanoid robotics company, attracting significant attention for its work on general-purpose robots designed to perform a wide range of tasks. Hark's focus on personalized, custom-built robotics indicates Adcock believes there is substantial commercial demand for specialized robotic systems that are tailored to specific industries, workflows, or customer requirements.

The $6 billion valuation for a less-than-one-year-old company reflects investor confidence in both Adcock's track record and the perceived market opportunity. Venture capital firms, including Parkway Venture Capital, are clearly betting that personalized robotics can command significant value in the near term, even as the broader humanoid robotics sector continues to mature and develop.

Hark's emergence also underscores a key insight from the May 2026 unicorn funding wave: the robotics industry is diversifying rapidly. Rather than a single dominant approach winning out, multiple robotics strategies are attracting substantial capital simultaneously. This suggests the market is large enough to support both general-purpose humanoid robots and specialized, personalized robotic systems designed for specific applications.