

Foundation Robotics Labs
PrivateFoundation Robotics Labs is a San Francisco-based startup developing general-purpose humanoid robots for defense and hazardous-environment applications.
Humanoid Robots

About Foundation Robotics Labs
Foundation Robotics Labs is a robotics company based in San Francisco, California, developing general-purpose humanoid robots for defense, industrial, and hazardous-environment applications. Founded in 2024 by Sankaet Pathak, Arjun Sethi, and Mike LeBlanc, the company combines vertically integrated hardware with AI-driven autonomy to build humanoids capable of operating in demanding and high-risk environments where human access is limited or dangerous. Its flagship platform, Phantom MK1, is designed for industrial automation, inspection, logistics, defense, and disaster response, combining camera-based perception, dexterous manipulation, and language-driven task execution. Foundation Robotics Labs has positioned itself as a developer of rugged, mission-ready humanoid systems for real-world operational deployment.
Technical Profile
Platform maturity, autonomy stack, and flagship-system specifications in one view.
Technology Snapshot
A concise view of platform maturity and deployment footprint.
AI Stack
Capabilities and model layers highlighted by the company.
Phantom MK1 Specs
Published operating specifications for the lead system.
Investors
Latest Updates
The company targets 40 robots in 2025, scaling to 10,000 in 2026 and 50,000 by 2027.
Foundation Robotics Labs Team
Foundation Robotics Labs History
- April 2024
Foundation Robotics Labs is founded for defense humanoids
Foundation Robotics Labs was founded in April 2024 by Sankaet Pathak, Arjun Sethi, and Mike LeBlanc, a former US Marine who previously co-founded Cobalt AI. Pathak had previously founded Synapse, a fintech platform.
DefenseHazardous environments - August 2024
Pre-seed financing backs Phantom MK1 development
The company raised $11 million in pre-seed in August 2024 led by Tribe Capital, bringing total funding to ~$21 million. The Phantom MK1 stands 5'9", weighs 176 pounds, supports 44-pound payloads, and walks at 1.7 m/s.
Tribe CapitalPhantom MK1 - December 2024 - February 2026
Boardwalk acquisition is followed by the Ukraine deployment
In December 2024, Foundation acquired Boardwalk Robotics, a IHMC spinoff. In February 2026, Foundation sent two Phantom robots to Ukraine, marking the first deployment of armed humanoid robots to any active combat zone.
Boardwalk RoboticsUkraine - 2025 - 2027
Foundation lays out an aggressive production roadmap
The company targets 40 robots in 2025, scaling to 10,000 in 2026 and 50,000 by 2027.
Production roadmapScale


