A concept design rendering of Persona AI's humanoid robot. Co-founder and CEO Nic Radford expects customers to take delivery of its first robot in 18 to 24 months. Rendering courtesy Persona AI.

Houston humanoid robotics startup secures millions in pre-seed funding

my robot

A Houston-based startup developing AI-powered humanoid robots for manufacturers and other businesses has raised more than $10 million in pre-seed funding less than a year after its founding.

Nic Radford, co-founder and CEO of Persona AI, declines to disclose the amount raised. However, he tells InnovationMap that it was an eight-figure total.

While not providing names, Radford says Persona AI’s first outside investors include VC firms, institutions and high-net-worth individuals in the U.S., London and Singapore. One of the high-net-worth investors was among the first employees at SpaceX, Elon Musk’s Brownsville, Texas-based aerospace company, according to Radford.

No Houston investors have participated in the funding round yet. However, Radford says he’s working on bringing aboard one local investor before the round closes.

“Houston’s the perfect city to do a company like this in,” Radford says. “It’s just not the perfect investor climate, but it's the perfect city from a customer aspect.”

Persona AI’s pre-seed funding comes amid a dramatic surge in investment capital chasing AI startups. Global funding for AI-related companies exceeded $100 billion in 2024, up more than 80 percent from the 2023 total, Crunchbase data shows.

Radford and co-founder Jerry Pratt, the startup’s chief technology officer, bootstrapped Persona AI. The third co-founder, Jide Akinyode, serves as Persona AI’s chief operating officer. Radford and Akinyode helped develop NASA’s six-foot-two-inch Valkyrie humanoid robot and both are former employees of Webster-based Nauticus Robotics, a provider of autonomous subsea robots.

Persona AI launched last June in what Radford calls “anti-stealth mode.” The startup is close to announcing its first customer, which does business in the industrial sector. Persona AI expects customers to take delivery of its first robot in 18 to 24 months, Radford says.

Persona AI will operate primarily as a robotics-as-a-service provider, with the company retaining ownership of the lifelike robots and selling the labor that they supply. Radford says the startup’s robots will help alleviate a shortage of skilled labor in sectors like manufacturing.

A report released last year by consulting firm Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute declared that as many as 1.9 million manufacturing jobs in the U.S. could go unfilled between 2024 and 2033 due to a skills gap and a tight labor market.

Persona AI competes in a market with enormous potential. In November, analysts at Citi Global Insights projected that the global market for humanoid robots could soar to $7 trillion by 2050, with 650 million of the robots tackling all sorts of jobs.

Radford says Personal AI is developing a “rugged” five-foot-eight-inch humanoid robot that’s able to survive tough indoor and outdoor conditions and take on tasks like carting around sheet metal, tending to metal-stamping machines, moving storage bins and handling order fulfillment. He likens his company’s robot prototype to a Ford F-150 pickup truck, compared to the less-sturdy versions produced by robotics competitors, which he calls the Toyota Camry or Volkswagen Beetles of the field.

Radford says he and his team “are building a really compelling startup in one of the hottest markets and one of the greatest cities.” Employees work at Persona AI’s headquarters in Houston or its satellite office in Pensacola, Florida, where Pratt is located.

“We don’t hire anybody that’s not a rock star or superstar,” says Radford, “and I think the city is going to benefit tremendously from our efforts at Persona.”

Radford saw his last company, Nauticus Robotics, from founding to IPO, left the company in January and previously told InnovationMap that he couldn't get the idea of advancing humanoid robotics out of his head. Read more here.

Nicolaus Radford, who founded Nauticus Robotics and took it all the way to IPO, shares details of his new company, PersonaAI. Image via LinkedIn

Houston innovator bets on humanoid robotics with new startup

back in the founder seat

For his next act, Houston entrepreneur Nicolaus Radford has started — in what he describes as an "anti-stealth" capacity — a new company that hopes to bring humanoid robotics out of science fiction novels and into manufacturing floors.

Radford, who saw his last company, Nauticus Robotics, from founding to IPO, left the company in January. He tells InnovationMap that he started receiving some compelling offers at other robotics companies, but none of them felt like a fit. However, he just couldn't get the idea of advancing humanoid robotics out of his head.

"Humanoids are the holy grail of all of robotics," Radford says. "It's what every science fiction writer's always dreamed about.

"It is the future," he continues. "And now with this generative AI moment of 2022 where these machines look a lot more capable, flexible, reprogrammable — they can reason in real time. That's a huge deal."

Radford says he got a call from his friend, Jerry Pratt, who was the CTO at humanoid robotics company Figure AI. Pratt and Radford both worked in robotics at NASA and each have decades of experience in the tech world. The conversation really sealed the deal for Radford, and the two officially launched Persona AI in a LinkedIn post that Radford says shocked him with how much interest the community had.

Radford says that with all this interest, he wants to open up the company to more co-founders than just himself and Pratt, who's based in Florida.

"We're going to give a significant amount of the company out to the early joiners, more so than is probably typical," Radford says. "And it's because we know it takes a village, and we want to highlight that to everybody."

"We're trying to crowdsource the company," he continues. "We've coined that we're anti stealth."

Specifically, Radford says he's looking at growing the team to about 25 people in the next year, alongside raising early funding. He's looking for people with a diverse tech background with well-rounded experience.

"Robotics and humanoids in particular are just so multidisciplinary," Radford says. "Humanoids are a hundred-thousand-piece puzzle, and you're trying to put this puzzle together."

And for Radford, assembling that puzzle in Houston is of utmost importance. The company is headquartered here, and Radford is currently working with The Ion to set up an office there.

"We're exceptionally excited to put (the company) in Houston," he says. "It would be incredible for the city — there's a lot of industrial manufacturing here and a lot of warehousing. ... I still have this desire to shine a light on Houston's tech scene because I believe it is unsung, underappreciated, and quite capable."

The potential for this technology is huge — Radford estimates it as a $3 trillion market — but the first industry he plans on tackling is automotive, but he also sees promise in the medical, energy, and home industries.

"We think automotive is going to be a first-mover market. There's a lot of publicly announced partnerships between advanced robotics companies and humanoid companies and automotive," he says. "These folks are showing a willingness to put something out in the press that says they're developing a humanoid or piloting a humanoid. That's huge.

With this expressed interest, technology advancement, and large labor shortage, Radford is convinced now is the time for humanoid robotics — and for Persona AI.

"We're at a technology tipping point where it makes sense that these machines can do this, and there's an investment community willing to finance it," Radford says. "I think the first time in all of robotic history we're closer than we've ever been to making this a reality."

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9 can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for May

where to be

There's a lot to learn this month at events around Houston. Hear from AI and energy experts or gain insights into how to tap into funding at informative panels or sessions.

Here are the Houston business and innovation events you can't miss in May and how to register. Please note: This article might be updated to add more events.

May 1 - Ion Block Party + 3rd Annual Crawfish Cookoff

Head to this special edition Block Party, featuring a crawfish cook-off competition among the Ion’s businesses. Competing teams include Ion/Rice Alliance, Transwestern, Black at Microsoft, United Protective Services, Nexus, PersonaAI, South Main Baptist, Late August, Lymbar and LickleLab/Sports Monkey.

This event is Thursday, May 1, from 4-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

May 5 - Fireside Chat and Book Launch: ‘AI Made Simple: Results Made Real.’

Learn more about how AI is reshaping business and what leadership in the AI era looks like at the launch of Kathleen Perley’s book, AI Made Simple: Results Made Real, hosted by Rice Business Executive Education. Perley is founder and CEO of DemystifAI and an instructor and advisor at Rice University. She will sit down with Marie Myers, CFO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, for a discussion and will be signing copies of her book after the fireside chat.

This event is Monday, May 5, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

May 6 - Houston’s AI-Driven Data Center Boom: Investment, Innovation, and Policy

In light of Houston’s growing influence as a data center hub, the Greater Houston Partnership will present an informative panel focused on the investment landscape, technological advancements, and policy considerations shaping the future of AI-driven data centers in Houston. Panelists include leaders from Moelis, Quanta, and the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce.

This event is Tuesday, May 6, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Partnership Tower. Register or become a member here.

May 6 - Doing Business with the Federal Government - The Woodlands

The SBA Houston District Office, in collaboration with Sam Houston State University SBDC, will host an informative session to share insights on how small business owners can work with the U.S. government. Topics include how the government buys goods and services, the SBA’s role in government contracting, federal government contracting programs, the advantages of small business set-asides, marketing your business, identifying federal opportunities and more.

This event is Tuesday, May 6, from 10-11:30 a.m. at Sam Houston State University - The Woodlands Center. Register here.

May 8 - Industrious Launch Party

Attend the opening of Industrious’ new coworking space at the Ion. Anteendees can tour the new space, meet the team, enjoy a silent disco and network. Light bites will be provided by Late August, Lymbar, and Stuff’d.

This event is Thursday, May 8, from 5-8 p.m. at the Ion. Register here

May 12 - Headshot Happy Hour 

Hosted by Natalie Presnediue, Headshot Happy Hour caters to entrepreneurs, business owners, creatives and professionals who want to enhance or update their online presence. Each session includes a 15- to 20-minute mini shoot and three professionally retouched images. Light refreshments will be served.

This event is Monday, May 12, at the Ion. Learn more here.

May 12-14 - Greentown Labs’ Investor Activation Series

Greentown Labs will host a three-day series for investors interested in climatetech, centered around the incubator’s invitation-only Manufacturing Sector Pitch Day. Panels throughout the event will focus on early-stage investment, emerging opportunities, and tools for investors, presented by organizations like Houston Angel Network and New Climate Ventures.

This event begins Monday, May 12, at Greentown Labs. Register here.

May 13 - Women in Venture Investing: Expanding Influence and Building Wealth

Houston Angel Network will host a luncheon focused on how women can enter and thrive in the venture capital space. Anthea Zhang, professor of strategic management at Rice University, will present the keynote address along with a panel featuring leaders from Hunton, JP Morgan Private Bank, HRSS CPAs, Weathergage Capital, and Houston Angel Network.

This event is Tuesday, May 13, from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Junior Leauge of Houston. Get tickers here.

May 28-30 - CHARGE North America

This intimate, immersive experience is tailored to forward-thinking energy professionals. The conference includes hands-on interactive workshops led by top strategists; real-world case studies; and insights from leading speakers on resilient branding, consumer expectations, and climate action. Attendees will engage in panel discussions on sustainability and energy diversification and enjoy exclusive networking opportunities with global executives and innovators.

This event begins Wednesday, May 28, at the Ion. Register here.

Houston clean energy co. wins $50 million at Elon Musk-backed competition

xprize winners

Houston-based Mati Carbon has won the $50 million grand prize in the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition, backed by Elon Musk’s charitable organization, The Musk Foundation.

Mati was selected in 2024 as one of 20 global finalists. The company removes carbon through its Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) program that works with agricultural farms in Africa and India.

The 3-year-old startup accelerates the natural process of rock weathering (ERW) by applying pulverized basalt to croplands of partnered smallholder farmers, free of charge. Mati says the farmers it partners with are some of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

“Winning this XPRIZE competition is an incredible honor and a definitive validation of our research and development, and building out the infrastructure needed to impact millions of farmers while delivering verifiable carbon dioxide removal at a gigaton scale,” Mati Carbon Founder and CEO Shantanu Agarwal, said in a news release. “I couldn’t be prouder, not just of the Mati team, but of our collaborators, research partners and the thousands of smallholder farmers who let us be part of their lives. This XPRIZE recognition will allow us to collaborate with local partners to accelerate the use of enhanced rock weathering across the Global South.”

Mati reports that it plans to use the award to “scale its efforts working with smallholder farmers worldwide.” Apart from the XPRIZE funding, Mati plans to grow its model through the sale of CDR credits. According to the company, it counts Shopify, Stripe, and H&M among its early carbon credit buyers.

“Mati Carbon’s deployments bolster farmers’ livelihoods through improved soil health, reduced agricultural inputs, and increased income at zero cost to them. Mati Carbon’s team has developed a scientifically rigorous approach to monitoring and verification, and excelled across each of XPRIZE’s prize evaluation criteria – operational, sustainability, and cost metrics – giving the XPRIZE judges the highest confidence in Mati Carbon’s solution’s long-term scalability,” the XPRIZE judges wrote.

Houston-based Vaulted Deep took home the second-runner-up prize in the competition and $8 million for its organic waste storage process. The company provides permanent carbon storage by injecting nonhazardous organic waste deep underground. It spun off with $8 million in seed funding from Advantek Waste Management Services in 2023.

"Our approach is grounded in geomechanical injection techniques that have been safely deployed globally for decades by our team and predecessors," Omar Abou-Sayed, co-founder and executive chairman of Vaulted, said in a separate release. "XPRIZE recognized that this is a proven approach—already in use, delivering impact, and built on the kind of reliability the industry needs to scale responsibly."

Launched in 2021, the four-year XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition challenged global innovators to deploy scalable solutions for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and oceans. More than 1,300 teams from 88 countries competed. XPRIZE finalists were required to remove at least 1,000 tonnes of CO2 over a one-year demonstration period.

French company NetZero took home the first-runner-up prize of $15 million, and London-based UNDO came in as third-runner-up with a $5 million prize.

Since the announcement of the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition, the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency has cut climate funding for agencies, projects and research. While the Musk Foundation sponsored the XPRIZE event, it is not affiliated with the California-based organization, according to the Associated Press.

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This story originally appeared on our sister site, EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

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