K-Scale Labs
"Open-Source Humanoid Robotics for Everyone"
Palo Alto open-source humanoid robot startup that developed K-Bot and Zeroth Bot; shut down November 2025 after failing to secure Series A funding.
K-Scale Labs was a Palo Alto, California-based humanoid robotics startup founded in 2024 by Benjamin Bolte (formerly of Meta AI), Matthew Freed (robotics engineer from Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics), and Pawel Budzianowski (machine learning researcher, PhD from University of Cambridge). The company was backed by Y Combinator and raised $4 million at a $50 million valuation.
K-Scale Labs was founded with a mission to democratize humanoid robotics through open-source hardware and software. The company developed three humanoid robot platforms: the K-Bot (1.4 meters tall, priced at approximately $9,000, featuring actuators delivering 120 Nm of torque and swappable attachments for different tasks); the M-Bot (approximately 70 centimeters tall, priced under $3,000); and the Z-Bot (approximately 46 centimeters tall, priced under $1,000, targeted at students and developers). All robots were accompanied by an open-source operating system enabling basic task execution and learning from experience.
The company also developed the Zeroth Bot platform for hobbyists with 3D printers, enabling community-built humanoid robots from freely available designs.
K-Scale Labs ceased operations in November 2025 after failing to secure $10 to $15 million in follow-on funding necessary for high-volume production tooling and regulatory approvals. The founder described the pivotal failure as having bet the farm on the flagship K-Bot launch rather than pursuing a cheaper entry-level product first. The company had only approximately $400,000 remaining on its books at the time of closure.
Upon shutdown, K-Scale released all proprietary intellectual property — hardware designs for K-Bot and Zeroth Bot under the CERN-OHL-S-2.0 license, and software under the MIT license — making the full technical stack available to the open-source community. All preorders for the K-Bot were cancelled and deposits were refunded to customers.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
K-Bot
- Model: K-Bot
- Launch Year: 2024
Open-source bipedal humanoid robot at ~$9K for developers and researchers, with 120 Nm torque actuators and swappable task attachments.
Z-Bot
- Model: Z-Bot
- Launch Year: 2024
Sub-$1,000 mini humanoid robot for students and developers with fully open-source 3D-printable design.
Contact K-Scale Labs
WEBSITE
https://kscale.dev/HEADQUARTERS
United States
Company Facts
Founded
2024
Primary Role
Manufacturer
Company Size
-
Primary Region
North America
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
-
Funding Total
-
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