What Is Foundation Robotics?
Foundation Robotics is a San Francisco humanoid robotics startup that emerged from a 2024 acquisition of Boardwalk Robotics, whose cycloidal actuator technology now underpins Foundation's hardware. The company raised roughly $11 million in a pre-seed round in August 2024 led by Tribe Capital, followed by an additional raise in early 2025 that brought total funding to about $21 million.
Rather than selling robots outright, Foundation runs a fleet-as-a-service model: customers contract for humanoid labor instead of buying hardware. The company has said it holds around $100 million in contracted annual recurring revenue and reports its systems assisted in producing more than 24,000 vehicles during 2025, alongside roughly $24 million in U.S. military research contracts across the Army, Navy, and Air Force under the SBIR Phase 3 program.
This page covers the Phantom MK1 itself: its specs, its assembly at Foundation's San Francisco facility, its dual industrial and defense positioning, and the honest answer on whether you can buy one. For the underlying hand hardware, see our dedicated look at Foundation's tendon-driven design in the robotic hands guide linked below.
| Attribute | Phantom MK1 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 5'9" (about 175 cm) | Foundation's published spec |
| Weight | 176 lb (about 80 kg) | Foundation's published spec |
| Payload | Up to 44 lb | MK2 targets a reported 30% increase |
| Walking speed | 1.7 m/s | Foundation's published spec |
| Status | Deployed prototype fleet, service-contract only | Not sold direct to consumers |
Phantom MK1 Specs And Design
The Phantom MK1 stands about 5'9" and weighs 176 lb, with a stated payload capacity of up to 44 lb and a walking speed of 1.7 m/s. Foundation has said the robot is built from roughly 500 unique parts, about 30 percent sourced from China and the rest from a global supply chain spanning the US, Mexico, Israel, and South Korea.
The technical differentiator Foundation points to is its cycloidal actuator design, inherited from the 2024 Boardwalk Robotics acquisition, which the company frames as its core moat versus rivals using more conventional harmonic-drive actuators. Foundation has also partnered with AMD to supply compute for the Phantom platform.
Foundation's current-generation hand uses a tendon-driven design aimed at dexterous manipulation rather than simple gripping. We cover how that hand works, and how it compares to other robotic hands on the market, in our robotic hands explainer.
- Height 5'9" (~175 cm), weight 176 lb (~80 kg).
- Payload up to 44 lb; walking speed 1.7 m/s.
- ~500 unique parts; ~30% sourced from China, remainder global.
- Cycloidal actuators from the Boardwalk Robotics acquisition.
- Phantom MK2 in development, targeting redesigned actuators and higher payload.
Industrial Use: Factory Work And Assembly
Foundation assembles the Phantom MK1 at a San Francisco facility the company calls Robo Factory 1, where reporting has described the build process as still largely manual rather than fully automated — notable for a robot marketed partly as a fix for factory labor shortages.
On the commercial side, Foundation says its robots have contributed to production runs for automakers, citing more than 24,000 vehicles produced with Phantom involvement during 2025, and around $100 million in contracted annual recurring revenue from industrial customers leasing fleets rather than buying units outright.
That factory-labor pitch puts Phantom in the same category as other humanoids racing toward warehouse and line work; see our humanoid robots in warehouses guide for how the category is shaping up more broadly.
Defense Use: Military Contracts And Ukraine
Foundation is not positioning Phantom purely as a factory robot. The company holds roughly $24 million in U.S. military research contracts with the Army, Navy, and Air Force under the SBIR Phase 3 program, and co-founder Mike LeBlanc, a combat veteran, has publicly discussed the robot's defense applications.
In February 2026, Foundation confirmed it sent two Phantom MK1 units to Ukraine for a frontline reconnaissance test, and reporting has described the platform as capable of handling handheld weapons such as revolvers, semi-automatic pistols, shotguns, and a dummy M-16 rifle during demonstrations. Separately, Foundation has said it aims to build roughly 50,000 humanoid robots by the end of 2027, spanning both industrial and defense orders.
This dual-use positioning — factory labor and battlefield testing from the same hardware line — is unusual among humanoid robotics startups and is the main reason Phantom has drawn coverage beyond typical robotics press.
Can You Buy A Phantom MK1? Price
No. Foundation does not sell the Phantom MK1 to individual buyers or list a retail price. The company's business model is fleet leasing through service contracts with industrial and government customers, not unit sales, so any number presented online as a "Phantom MK1 price" is not an official figure.
That puts Phantom in a different buying category from the developer-oriented humanoids covered in our humanoid robots for business guide — those are platforms you can actually purchase or order today, which Phantom currently is not.
The practical takeaway: treat Phantom MK1 as an enterprise and defense fleet product, not a robot you can order for a facility on your own. Watch for official Foundation announcements if that changes with MK2.
Bottom Line
The Phantom MK1 is Foundation Robotics' flagship humanoid, built in San Francisco on cycloidal actuators inherited from its Boardwalk Robotics acquisition. It is a real, deployed platform — not a lab demo — used for factory assembly work and, as of February 2026, frontline reconnaissance testing in Ukraine. It is not for sale to the public; Foundation leases fleets through service contracts, with a stated goal of 50,000 units by the end of 2027.
See how Foundation's tendon-driven hand compares to other robotic hands in our robotic hands explainer, and compare Phantom against other humanoids you can actually buy in our humanoid robots for business guide.
FAQs
What is Foundation Robotics' Phantom MK1?
The Phantom MK1 is a humanoid robot built by San Francisco startup Foundation Robotics for industrial and defense work. It stands about 5'9", weighs 176 lb, and is deployed through fleet service contracts rather than sold as a product.
Is the Foundation Phantom MK1 the same as the 'Phantom' combat robot in Ukraine news?
Yes — Foundation confirmed sending two of its own Phantom MK1 units to Ukraine in February 2026 for a frontline reconnaissance test. It is the same robot covered on this page, not a separate or unrelated system.
Can you buy a Phantom MK1?
No. Foundation does not sell Phantom MK1 units directly; it leases robot fleets to industrial and government customers through service contracts. No consumer price is published.
How much funding has Foundation Robotics raised?
Foundation raised about $11 million in a pre-seed round in August 2024 led by Tribe Capital, plus an additional raise in early 2025 bringing total funding to roughly $21 million, alongside about $24 million in U.S. military research contracts.
What is the difference between the Phantom MK1 and MK2?
The Phantom MK1 is Foundation's current deployed platform. The Phantom MK2, in development, is reported to feature redesigned actuators and about a 30 percent increase in payload capacity over the MK1.