Product Manager
About the job
- At least 5 years of experience in product, design, engineering, or a similarly hands-on role.
- Have built and shipped products or other work.
- Think critically about customer problems and break ambiguity into structured decisions.
- Have design sense and care about craft.
- Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Have experience in industrial automation, artificial intelligence, or robotics.
- Own product discovery, strategy, and delivery for a core area of the platform.
- Investigate customer problems by talking to users, visiting sites, reading manuals, and understanding how robots are used.
- Define what to build and why, and create clear specifications that engineers can execute.
- Work hands-on with user experience, interaction flows, and functional behavior, considering how each feature fits with the rest of the system.
- Collaborate with engineers and designers to iterate on prototypes, validate assumptions, and reduce risk early.
About the company
Standard Bots designs and manufactures AI-native industrial robot arms and humanoids that learn tasks by demonstration rather than traditional programming. It builds its own actuators and other hardware in the U.S., delivering end-to-end hardware and software for tasks such as machining, welding, palletizing, grinding, fastening, dispensing, assembly, and inspection. The company differentiates itself with in-house actuation, U.S. manufacturing, and an AI-driven, demonstration-based programming approach to provide a scalable automation platform at lower prices than legacy industrial robots. Its goal is to expand U.S. manufacturing, capture a sizable share of domestic robot deployments, and accelerate AI-native product development with funding support.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Series C
Total Funding
$287M
Headquarters
Glen Cove, New York
Founded
2016
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- June 2026 Series C valued Standard Bots at $1 billion, funding 70,000-square-foot expansion.
- June 24, 2026 Roboflow partnership shortens vision deployment from files to minutes.
- Standard Bots says it is on pace for 10% of new U.S. robot deployments.
What critics are saying
- The June 2026 $200 million expansion demands flawless factory ramp and hiring execution.
- ABB, Universal Robots, and legacy incumbents already own installed bases and service networks.
- If demonstration-trained robots underperform in production, Standard Bots loses trust, contracts, and valuation.
What makes Standard Bots unique
- Standard Bots vertically integrates U.S. robot manufacturing in Glen Cove, New York.
- Its robots are taught by demonstration, not code, compressing deployment from months.
- Roboflow and Cognibotics integrations deepen its no-code physical-AI stack in 2026.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
401(k) Company Match
Employee Stock Options
Paid Vacation
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
0%1 year growth
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-1%Runway moves into robotics with open-weight Praxis-1 AI model. Discover more Source Suppliers Rent Machinery Build Robots Runway, one of the best-known developers of generative AI video technology, is moving into robotics with Praxis-1, an open-weight AI model designed to use knowledge learned from video to control physical robots. "Open-weight" means developers can download the model and run or adapt it themselves, rather than only accessing it through Runway's servers. The company describes Praxis-1 as its first "world action model" and says it is based on the same large-scale video pretraining underlying its general world models. Runway is currently testing Praxis-1 with robotics companies Noble Machines, Standard Bots and Ultra Robotics on several types of robot hardware. It plans to make the model publicly available in the coming months. The move takes Runway beyond its established generative video business and into the rapidly developing physical AI and robotics market. Discover more Automation Consulting Service Industrial Robot Sales AI Software Development Runway says: "Today Robotics & Automation News is announcing Praxis-1, its first open-weight world action model. It's built on the same large-scale video pretraining behind its general world models. "We're actively testing Praxis-1 with early partners across a variety of embodiments, and will release it publicly in the coming months." Using internet video to train robots. The central idea behind Praxis-1 is that robots do not necessarily need to learn predominantly from enormous quantities of robot-generated training data. Collecting real-world robotics data is expensive and time-consuming, particularly when it requires robots to be teleoperated through tasks repeatedly. Runway instead wants to exploit the vastly larger quantities of ordinary video available for training AI models. Video can teach a model about object behavior, movement, physical interactions and how humans perform tasks. Runway's argument is that a robot policy beginning with this understanding of the physical world has an advantage over one trained primarily from robot action data. The company says: "A policy that already understands physical plausibility and object behavior from video pretraining has an enormous head start on one built from action data alone." Runway compares the approach with the development of large language models, which acquire a broad understanding of language from large quantities of text before being adapted for more specific tasks. The company says its experiments indicate a similar scaling effect in robotics, with robot policy performance improving as the amount of third-person video used during training increases. Web video approaches robot training data. One experiment presented by Runway compares policies pretrained using ordinary web video with those pretrained using teleoperated robot video. After fine-tuning, the company reports a final placement error of 16.1 cm for the model initially trained on web video, compared with 16.0 cm for the model trained using teleoperated robot footage. Runway notes that the difference is not statistically significant within the reported uncertainty. The company is also testing Praxis-1 on more difficult manipulation problems involving cluttered environments, transparent objects, deformable materials and groups of similar-looking objects. In another demonstration, Runway shows the same policy operating in both a controlled studio environment and a domestic kitchen without retraining. Runway brings world models into robotics. Praxis-1 builds on Runway's development of interactive video and world models including Solaris and GWM Worlds 2. These models attempt to represent how environments and objects change over time rather than simply generating individual images or predetermined video sequences. Runway says: "By teaching our models how to generate accurate physics - how objects behave, how hands move, what a task looks like partway through - we've created dynamic, complex environments for agent training in the digital and physical world." Praxis-1 applies that approach to robotics, with Runway aiming to develop a general-purpose policy capable of working across different robot embodiments and environments. The company also says previous experiments found that simulating robot policies inside its world model produced results with a 0.95 correlation to subsequent real-world performance. Testing on three different robot platforms. Praxis-1 is being tested with three early robotics partners. Noble Machines is evaluating the model for bimanual manipulation, while Standard Bots is running it on its RO1 six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm. Ultra is testing Praxis-1 with a mobile robotic platform. Runway says the early-access program will be expanded to additional companies ahead of the model's public release. The testing program is intended to evaluate both performance and safety across different robot configurations and operating environments. Praxis-1 will be released with open weights. Runway also plans to make Praxis-1 available with open weights rather than restricting access to a proprietary hosted model. The company links that decision partly to its view that greater interoperability between AI models and robot hardware will be important as physical AI develops. Runway says: "We view open world models as a compounding advantage that gives hardware developers flexibility and control they don't currently have." The company is currently accepting applications from robotics developers interested in testing Praxis-1 on their hardware before its wider release. The launch puts Runway into an increasingly important area of AI research: using large-scale world models and knowledge acquired from video to train machines capable of interacting with the physical world. If the approach scales, the significance of Praxis-1 may lie in reducing one of robotics' persistent bottlenecks - obtaining enough diverse real-world training data to produce robots that can operate reliably outside tightly controlled environments.
Roboflow and Standard Bots Partner to Bring Custom Visual Intelligence to Every Robot. Standard Bots customers who build vision systems in Roboflow can run them on their robots, uniting two of the leaders in physical AI behind a single, seamless journey from what a robot sees to what it does. CHICAGO, June 24, 2026 - Roboflow and Standard Bots are announcing a partnership to enable robots to see, understand, and act with visual intelligence. Standard Bots customers who train vision models in Roboflow can now deploy those models to their robot to spot a defect, recognize a specific part, count items, read a label, or watch a zone, without needing an engineer to transfer files or configure the robot. Bringing visual intelligence to industrial robots allows them to learn new vision skills the same way you'd teach anyone on a factory floor: hold up a part, give it a few examples, and it learns to recognize it. From then on, the robot sees, decides, and acts on its own. The robot that used to execute one motion can now adapt to inspect for defects, sort good from bad, guide its own picking and palletizing, and adapt to the world in front of it. The two companies unveiled the partnership this week at Automate 2026, the largest automation event in North America. Visit the Roboflow booth (#21015) or Standard Bots booth (#736) to see live demonstrations of industrial robots running custom vision models to see, decide, and act in real time. Making physical AI accessible to every business. Vision and motion have always been the two halves of a robot that can do real work. This partnership delivers that connection as a seamless product experience for manufacturers of all sizes. For manufacturers who train their own vision models in Roboflow, deploying them to a robot has historically required engineer time, SSH access, and manual file transfers. This integration removes that barrier by bringing Roboflow-trained models into the robot's skill library with the same ease as any other task. When custom model deployment is this simple, a manufacturer can get a new product online in weeks instead of quarters. Robots bought for one task can be taught a second, and a third, because adapting it is now a matter of showing it something new, rather than rebuilding it. Robots that can learn from visual data change the economics of automation with faster payback, and a machine that is worth more the longer it runs. "Standard Bots makes robots that anyone can teach. We make it easy for machines to see and understand the world," said Joseph Nelson, co-founder and CEO of Roboflow. "Put those together and you get something the factory floor has been waiting for: a robot you can point at a problem and trust to handle it. Every camera and every robot in a facility becomes programmable, by the people who actually run the line." "Our mission is to put a capable robot to work in every American factory, and the robots that win are the ones that are easy to use," said Evan Beard, CEO of Standard Bots. "Our robots are built to be taught, not just programmed. For manufacturers who use Roboflow for annotation and training, this integration means going from a trained model to a deployed robot skill in minutes - and sending data back to keep improving. That's the kind of seamless workflow that changes what's possible on the factory floor." To schedule a tailored demonstration based on your business needs, contact Roboflow, Inc. here. About Roboflow Roboflow gives organizations the platform to build visual intelligence that understands and acts in the physical world. The Roboflow platform spans labeling, training, deployment, and applications, and is used by more than one million engineers and over half of the Fortune 100 across manufacturing, logistics, rail, defense, healthcare, retail, and sport. Learn more at roboflow.com. About Standard Bots Standard Bots is America's largest AI-native industrial robot manufacturer, designing and assembling its six-axis robots in Glen Cove, New York. Built to be more affordable and easier to use than legacy systems, Standard Bots robots are trusted by Fortune 500s and independent shops alike to automate machine tending, palletizing, welding, inspection, and more. Learn more at standardbots.com. Cite this post. Use the following entry to cite this post in your research: Trevor Lynn. (Jun 24, 2026). Roboflow and Standard Bots Partner to Bring Custom Visual Intelligence to Every Robot. Roboflow Blog: https://blog.roboflow.com/roboflow-and-standard-bots-partner-to-bring-custom-visual-intelligence-to-every-robot/ Stay Connected Get the Latest in Computer Vision First Trevor Lynn Trevor leads Marketing at Roboflow. He focuses on sharing insights from Roboflow customers to inspire the broader AI community and help advance visual AI. Topics.
GiantLeap Capital backs Standard Bots in $200 million Series C round. June 11, 2026 As manufacturers face mounting pressure to increase productivity, strengthen domestic supply chains, and address labor shortages, industrial robotics is becoming a strategic priority across sectors ranging from aerospace and defense to automotive and logistics. GiantLeap Capital has announced a strategic investment in Standard Bots, the New York-based robotics company that describes itself as America's largest manufacturer of AI-native industrial robots. The investment is part of Standard Bots' recently announced $200 million Series C financing, which valued the company at $1 billion. The funding round attracted participation from a group of technology and industrial investors, including General Catalyst, the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, Samsung Next, RoboStrategy (Nasdaq: BOT), and other existing institutional backers. For GiantLeap Capital, the investment aligns with its strategy of supporting companies operating at the intersection of artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and critical infrastructure. The firm views robotics as an increasingly important technology for enhancing industrial capacity and economic competitiveness as manufacturers seek more efficient ways to automate production. Standard Bots has developed AI-native robotic systems that can be trained through demonstration rather than conventional programming methods. The approach is designed to reduce deployment complexity and enable manufacturers to automate a broader range of tasks across production environments. The technology is being applied across industries including aerospace, defense, automotive, energy, logistics, and industrial manufacturing. The company has already deployed robotic systems at hundreds of manufacturing facilities across the United States. Customers include Lockheed Martin, NASA, and the U.S. Army, highlighting the growing adoption of advanced automation technologies within both commercial and government sectors. According to the company, it is on track to account for approximately 10% of new industrial robot deployments in the United States next year, a figure that reflects the increasing demand for AI-powered automation as manufacturers modernize operations. "We are entering a decade in which manufacturing output, industrial resilience, and national competitiveness will increasingly be determined by software, AI, and robotic density rather than labor arbitrage," said Samir Parikh, Founder and Managing Partner of GiantLeap Capital. "Standard Bots has built a differentiated AI-native robotics platform that can compress deployment cycles, improve unit economics, and learn continuously from real-world operating data." Parikh added that the firm believes the company has the potential to expand productivity across U.S. industry while strengthening the domestic industrial base that supports both economic growth and national security objectives. The financing is expected to support several growth initiatives, including expanding Standard Bots' manufacturing footprint in the United States, increasing production capacity, accelerating development of its AI technologies, and broadening adoption of robotic systems across additional industrial sectors. Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Evan Beard said the company's next phase of growth will require both technological innovation and strategic partnerships capable of supporting large-scale deployment. "Scaling intelligent automation in America requires more than great technology; it requires manufacturing depth, strategic relationships, and partners who understand how to build enduring companies," Beard said. "GiantLeap brings that perspective, along with deep experience across industrial technology, aerospace, and defense." The investment comes as policymakers and industry leaders place renewed focus on domestic manufacturing capabilities amid global competition and ongoing efforts to strengthen supply-chain resilience. Advances in artificial intelligence are enabling a new generation of industrial robots capable of handling more complex workflows, creating opportunities for manufacturers to improve efficiency while addressing workforce challenges. Headquartered in Glen Cove, New York, Standard Bots designs and manufactures its robotic systems in the United States. The company's focus on AI-native automation positions it within a rapidly growing segment of the robotics market, where machine learning and demonstration-based training are helping reduce barriers to industrial automation. GiantLeap Capital is a growth equity firm that invests across private and public markets, focusing on technology-driven businesses with the potential to transform industries at scale. The firm's investment in Standard Bots reflects continued investor interest in robotics companies developing technologies aimed at modernizing industrial operations and expanding manufacturing productivity across the United States.
Standard Bots raises $200M in Series C funding at $1 billion valuation. June 10, 2026 Standard Bots, a Glen Cove, New York-based developer of AI-native industrial robotics, raised $200m in a Series C funding round at a $1 billion valuation. The round was co-led by General Catalyst and RoboStrategy, with participation from Amazon, Samsung Next, Box Group, and GiantLeap Capital. The company intends to use the funds to expand its New York manufacturing facility to 70,000 square feet, scale its vertically integrated production process, and accelerate engineering team hiring. Led by Co-founder, CEO, and Chief Engineer Evan Beard alongside Co-founders David Golden and James Cordle, Standard Bots develops AI-native 6-axis collaborative robotic arms and industrial humanoids powered by an Nvidia Isaac physical AI stack that enables operators to teach robots manufacturing tasks via manual demonstration rather than code. The company serves high-profile enterprise and defense clients including Lockheed Martin, NASA, Sunoco, and the U.S. Army, and is on track to handle 10 percent of all new U.S. industrial robot deployments. Don't just read the news. Own the data. Stop manually tracking deals. Access this round and over 100 others this week - in our structured Master Database (XML) + Weekly Intelligence PDF. [Access FinSMEs Intelligence Hub] 10/06/2026
Standard Bots raises $200M to boost US robot manufacturing. 9 June 2026 Key Takeaways * The $200 million Series C investment elevates Standard Bots to a $1 billion valuation. * Funding will directly scale the company's 70,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Glen Cove, New York. * Standard Bots aims to command 10% of all new industrial robot deployments in the United States by next year. American robotics startup Standard Bots has raised $200 million in a significant Series C funding round. This new wave of funding brings the company's valuation to $1 billion, thus achieving unicorn status. The enormous funding signifies an increased need for the technology and defense industries to develop a domestic, self-reliant supply chain for cutting-edge physical automation. The oversubscribed funding was jointly led by RoboStrategy and General Catalyst, with participation from a slate of existing institutional investors. The funds will largely be used for growth in the company's domestic manufacturing capacity by scaling up its Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, manufacturing plant. The push for onshore hardware. For a long time, the industrial robotics space has been dominated by legacy hardware from other continents, particularly China and other parts of Europe. Standard Bots will try to change that by building its own robotic platforms entirely on U.S. soil. The New York-based startup designs almost all of its structural parts, including its own proprietary actuators, and performs final assembly in its own facility. By 2027, the company wants to be in a completely vertical position with a fully domestic supply chain to customers. This is a bold strategy to avoid unpredictable overseas shipping lines and to keep vital supply channels for inland businesses. The company has even briefed federal lawmakers on plans to influence the country's national robotics strategies by levying greater protectionist pressures over imports. Eliminating complex code via physical AI. The single most significant challenge for broad-based industrial automation has historically been complexity. Conventional robotic arms need tightly targeted software engineers to write each articulation by hand, a process that increases the overall cost of ownership and extends implementation timelines into months. Standard Bots overcomes this challenge with an emerging "AI-native" approach. Its robotic arms and industrial humanoids embed physical AI foundations that enable them to learn tasks entirely from behavioural demonstration. Instead of writing formal code, a manufacturing technician simply physically guides the robot arm along a necessary path or visually demonstrates the process. The system records this usage data, isolates the needed movements, and learns the task independently. This no-code approach reduces time to market dramatically, yielding the potential for small- and mid-sized companies to use premium automation services. Targeting massive market share. Leveraging its newly enlarged 70,000 square foot Glen Cove plant, Standard Robots can now easily scale up customer volumes for high-volume commercial shipments. As far as its commercial objectives, the firm plans to account for close to 10% of all new U.S. industrial robot installations in one year. Since the enterprise produces its own parts locally and sidesteps international licensing charges, it promises a 30% cheaper cost relative to antique/legacy gear. The intended market reaches into a remarkably wide economic range, from itty-bitty local machinery stores up to corporate behemoths. Clients include giants such as Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Sunoco, NASA, and the U.S. Army. The multipurpose machines are being put to a broad range of floor uses: high-precision welding, palletising, parts inspection, assembly, and CNC machine tending. I'm a crypto writer with 4+ years of experience passionate about turning big, technical ideas into content anyone can understand. From blockchain to stablecoins to everything in between, I enjoy helping readers stay informed in a space that never stops moving. Disclaimer VentureBurn is a media platform covering the latest in cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, venture capital, and the startup ecosystem. Opinions expressed on VentureBurn are for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. Before making any high-risk investments in digital assets or emerging technologies, readers should conduct their own due diligence. All transactions and financial decisions are made at your own risk, and any losses incurred are solely your responsibility. VentureBurn does not endorse or recommend the buying or selling of any digital assets and is not a licensed investment advisor. Please note that VentureBurn may participate in affiliate marketing programs.