As supply chain pressures and geopolitical tensions reshape global manufacturing, a major robotics distributor is betting that American companies will pay a premium for domestically-assembled automation systems. RoboStore, which has built a significant footprint distributing humanoid and quadruped robots from Chinese manufacturer Unitree Robotics, has officially announced the launch of Robo Inc., a U.S.-based robotics manufacturing and systems integration company designed to serve the American market.

The move represents a strategic pivot in how foreign robotics companies approach the North American market. Rather than simply importing finished products, Robo Inc. will perform final assembly, software integration, and testing on Long Island, New York, where it plans to operate a 66,000-square-foot facility expected to reach full capacity by the first quarter of 2027. According to The Robot Report, the company has already served more than 4,500 customers and deployed over 1,500 robots across North America.

Meeting Regulatory and Security Demands

Teddy Haggerty, founder and CEO of both RoboStore and Robo Inc., framed the new venture as a response to what customers actually need rather than industry hype. "Customers want solutions that can be deployed now, built around a specific job and supported over time," Haggerty said, emphasizing that the company would move beyond aspirational promises toward practical deployments.

The timing of Robo Inc.'s launch reflects mounting concerns around data sovereignty and cybersecurity in robotics. The company has explicitly designed security reviews into its integration process, examining data flows, network access, software controls, operating environments, and application-specific vulnerabilities. This focus on compliance and domestic operations suggests Robo Inc. is positioned to help organizations navigate evolving U.S. regulations around foreign technology in sensitive sectors.

A Pragmatic Approach to Robotics Integration

Rather than promoting one-size-fits-all humanoids, Robo Inc. has adopted a hardware-agnostic strategy. The company will select components and platforms based on specific customer requirements, drawing on its experience serving academic institutions like Harvard and MIT, plus major technology and logistics companies including Amazon and NVIDIA.

  • Focus on application-specific solutions rather than general-purpose robots
  • Integration of global supply chains with U.S.-based engineering and manufacturing
  • Continuing support for existing RoboStore customers and inventory
  • Operation of a 4,000-member developer community under the Robo Inc. umbrella

The emergence of Robo Inc. reflects a broader pattern in which foreign robotics and AI companies establish U.S. subsidiaries to maintain market access amid growing trade restrictions and geopolitical competition. This localization strategy allows companies to address compliance concerns while preserving supply chain relationships and customer relationships established through distribution partnerships.

Robo Inc.'s formation also comes as its parent distributor's primary supplier, Unitree Robotics, pursues an initial public offering in Shanghai that would value the company at over $900 million, underscoring the commercial momentum in global robotics markets.