Hugging Face is entering the robotics space with a bold move. The popular AI platform has acquired Pollen Robotics, a French startup known for creating Reachy 2, an open-source humanoid robot. While the purchase amount remains undisclosed, the acquisition signals Hugging Face’s deepening interest in physical AI applications.
Founded in 2016 by Matthieu Lapeyre and Pierre Rouanet, Pollen Robotics focused on building affordable humanoid robots for everyday use. Before the acquisition, the team raised €2.5 million (around $2.83 million) from investors, including Bpifrance. Their flagship product, Reachy 2, is a modular robot designed for developers, researchers, and educators.
Now, Hugging Face plans to sell Reachy 2 and also open its codebase to the public. Developers worldwide will be able to download, customize, and suggest improvements—true to the company’s open-source roots. This strategy mirrors Hugging Face’s success in the AI space, where it built a community around shared tools and transparent models.
The move isn’t entirely surprising. Hugging Face has been exploring robotics for a while. In 2024, it partnered with Pollen Robotics to build “Le Robot,” a humanoid trained to do basic household tasks. That project laid the foundation for deeper collaboration.
Following that partnership, Hugging Face launched its own robotics team. It’s now led by Remi Cadene, a former Tesla engineer who previously worked on the company’s Optimus robot. His experience brings credibility and technical depth to Hugging Face’s new hardware ambitions.
Thomas Wolf, Hugging Face’s co-founder, recently commented on the acquisition. He emphasized the company’s vision for a future where both AI and robotics are open, collaborative, and accessible. Instead of locking innovation behind corporate walls, Hugging Face wants developers to experiment, contribute, and shape what humanoid robots can do.
This philosophy could be a game-changer. While many companies are racing to build advanced robots, few are making them open to public improvement. Hugging Face believes its model—centered on openness—will foster faster innovation and wider adoption.
By acquiring Pollen Robotics, Hugging Face is positioning itself at the intersection of AI and real-world automation. Its humanoid robot, Reachy 2, is now more than a research tool—it’s a platform for global collaboration.
As AI continues moving from screens to physical spaces, Hugging Face is betting that open-source principles will make robots smarter, more helpful, and widely available.
