Hugging Face has unveiled two new open-source humanoid robots, HopeJR and Reachy Mini, as part of its robotics efforts.

HopeJR is a full-sized robot with 66 degrees of freedom for walking and arm movement, while Reachy Mini is a desktop model that supports head motion, speech, and listening.

Initial deliveries are expected by year-end, with HopeJR priced at US$3,000 and Reachy Mini at US$250 to US$300, and a waitlist is now open.

These robots were developed after Hugging Face acquired Pollen Robotics in April 2025, gaining new expertise and using open-source designs to lower costs.

The company has been expanding its robotics work, including launching LeRobot and upgrading its robotic arm SO-101 and training tools with partners.

🔗 Source: TechCrunch

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Hugging Face’s evolution from chatbot to robotics

Hugging Face’s entry into robotics represents a significant shift in its business focus, evolving from its original roots in chatbot development.

The company began in 2017 as a developer of emotional companionship chatbots aimed primarily at teenagers, raising $1.2 million to build an app where users could interact with a digital friend named after the 🤗 emoji1.

By 2019, they shifted their focus, raising $15 million to develop an open-source natural language processing library that quickly gained traction with over a million downloads2.

The acquisition of Pollen Robotics in 2025 provided the specialized expertise needed for this hardware expansion, showcasing how strategic acquisitions can enhance capabilities in related technological fields.

2️⃣ Open-source robotics movement gaining momentum to democratize access

Hugging Face’s $3,000 price point for a full humanoid robot represents a significant departure from typical humanoid robot pricing, which often runs into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This affordable approach aligns with a growing open-source robotics movement that aims to make advanced technology accessible to a broader audience3.

Industry experts like Brian Gerkey, CTO of Intrinsic, have highlighted that open-source approaches accelerate the adoption of robotics across sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics by fostering collaboration and innovation4.