BOT-04: Strategic Allocation in Agility Robotics

TLDR

A proposal to allocate 350,000 USDC from the DAO’s treasury to acquire equity in Agility Robotics, a leading U.S. humanoid robotics company recognized as a first mover in commercial humanoid deployment. Agility’s Digit robot is already operating in warehouses for partners including Amazon and GXO. The company is raising $400 million at a $1.75 billion pre-money valuation with backing from WP Global, SoftBank, DCVC, Playground Global and Amazon. This round will accelerate manufacturing scale-up, product refinement, and go-to-market expansion, offering the DAO timely exposure to a proven Physical AI leader at a pivotal growth stage.

Exec Summary

Agility Robotics is one of the few humanoid robotics companies with real world paid deployments. Its Digit robot is actively working in warehouses and factories for customers such as Amazon and GXO Spanx, generating recurring revenue through a Robot as a Service model that integrates hardware, software, and operational support.

Digit is designed for commercial use and is currently the only humanoid robot with workplace safety approval, with full collaborative clearance expected by late 2025. Recent upgrades include longer battery life, autonomous docking, improved safety systems, and enhanced limbs and end effectors for a wider range of industrial tasks. Agility’s dedicated Humanoid Robot Factory, with capacity for 10,000 units per year, positions the company to scale production alongside rising enterprise demand.

The company is currently raising $400 million at a $1.75 billion valuation in a round led by WP Global with participation from SoftBank and other strategic investors. This capital will accelerate manufacturing, advance product development, and expand deployments, strengthening Agility’s role as an early leader in the market for humanoid robots in logistics and industrial operations.

Overview

Agility Robotics was founded in 2015 as a spin-off from Oregon State University’s Dynamic Robotics Lab by Jonathon Hurst, Damion Shelton, and Mikhail Jones. Its mission is to address the global shortage of manual labor through a scalable fleet of humanoid robots and to advance Physical AI through real world deployments and data collection.

The company’s first product, Cassie, was introduced in 2016 as a dynamic bipedal platform for research institutions. In 2017 Agility launched Digit, a humanoid robot designed for human-centric environments and material-handling tasks. Early pilots included last mile delivery trials with Ford before pivoting to warehouse logistics in 2021 and 2022.

In 2023 Agility opened RoboFab, its dedicated humanoid manufacturing facility in Salem, Oregon, with capacity for up to 10,000 units annually. By early 2025 more than 100 Digit units were deployed with customers including Amazon, GXO Spanx, Schaeffler, and the US Navy.

Digit stands 5 feet 9 inches tall, can lift up to 35 pounds, operates for up to 5 hours on a single charge, and autonomously docks for recharging. Its advanced perception system enables autonomous navigation in unstructured environments, while upgraded limbs and end effectors expand task versatility. Agility is pursuing OSHA, FCC, and ISO safety certifications to enable Digit to operate outside of enclosed work cells alongside human workers, significantly increasing its addressable market.

Agility’s go to market strategy combines hardware, software, and operations support to deliver high task completion rates in customer environments, backed by real world operational data and a focus on proven use cases.

Strategic Rationale

Humanoid robotics can address the global shortage of physical labor in industries worth trillions of dollars annually. Warehousing and logistics are a near-term entry point, with high turnover, rising costs, and millions of unfilled roles creating strong demand for adaptable automation.

Agility Robotics is one of the few companies with paying deployments, providing valuable operational data to improve real-world performance. Its Robot as a Service model delivers recurring revenue and lowers barriers to adoption. Rapid iteration in battery life, autonomous docking, safety compliance, and manipulation has steadily expanded Digit’s capabilities.

Strong investor interest underscores this momentum, with the current $400 million raise at a $1.75 billion valuation led by WP Global with participation from SoftBank and earlier backing from Amazon. Securing a stake at this stage offers exposure to a proven operator as it moves toward scaled commercial deployment in the emerging humanoid robotics market.

The Deal

The DAO has secured access to a single layer SPV participating in Agility Robotics’ Series C3, acquiring preferred shares at $66.145 per share for a total commitment of $350,000 USDC. This allocation is part of Agility’s $400 million primary Series C round at a $1.75 billion pre-money valuation, led by WP Global with participation from SoftBank and Amazon. The transaction will be facilitated by a licensed broker.

Fee Structure

1. Management and Broker Fee: A one time 10% fee is applied to the investment and paid to the broker and independent SPV manager. This covers legal setup, regulatory compliance, reporting, and ongoing administration.

2. Carry (Carried Interest): A 10% performance fee, paid to the SPV manager, is applied only to net profits upon exit. For example, if the allocation liquidates at $1,500,000, the original $350,000 investment is returned and 10% of the $1,150,000 profit ($115,000) is retained by the manager. No carry is charged if there is no profit.

These terms are standard for private SPV transactions in late-stage, high-demand companies where allocations are limited and access is negotiated through exclusive channels.

Transaction Details -Allocation: $350,000 USDC -Share Class: Preferred Stock -Shares to Acquire: ~4,794 -Price per Share: $66.145 -Additional Transaction Costs: USDC–USD swap, off-ramping, and wire transfer fees, expected to remain under $2,000 total

Potential Liquidity Events

Agility Robotics’ commercial deployments, manufacturing capacity, and investor base create several possible paths to liquidity.

1. Initial Public Offering (IPO): If scaling and deployment targets are met, Agility could be positioned for a public listing within 3 to 5 years. Growing institutional interest in robotics and automation provides a supportive backdrop for such an offering.

2. Strategic Acquisition: Existing partners and investors such as Amazon, along with logistics, automation, or major robotics companies, could see strategic value in acquiring Agility to strengthen their automation capabilities.

While no liquidity event is guaranteed, Agility Robotics’ commercial contracts with partners such as Amazon and GXO, combined with its manufacturing capacity and investor base, increase the likelihood of a successful exit scenario.

Note: Limited secondary liquidity may become available after a 12-month holding period, depending on the company's performance and market conditions. Any potential exit or liquidation would require a DAO proposal and governance vote.

Key Risks & Considerations

-Execution and Scale Risk: Mass-producing reliable humanoids and achieving fleet deployments at scale is complex and capital-intensive, even with existing manufacturing facilities.

-Competition: Other well-funded humanoid developers may deliver broader vision capabilities, greater task generality, or stronger brand momentum, potentially affecting Agility’s market position.

-Safety and Regulation: Operating alongside humans requires certified safety standards. Agility has made progress toward compliance, but high-risk environments remain challenging.

-Capital Intensity: Future fundraising needs or high cash burn could impact the value of current positions if the company does not advance quickly toward a profitable scale.

-Despite these risks, Agility’s paid deployments, operational data advantage, and manufacturing readiness give it a clear path toward scaling humanoid robotics in commercial settings.

Governance Execution

If approved, the DAO’s Execution Engine will:

1. Finalize terms and compliance with the intermediary.
2. Coordinate legal and treasury operations for the transaction.
3. Document the full transaction flow with a transparent paper trail for auditability.

All treasury activity and asset positions will be tracked and documented for DAO-wide visibility and auditability on the DAO portal: dao.xmaquina.io

– The Northstar Council