Clone Robotics says it’s on track to showcase a fully untethered version of its viral synthetic human prototype.
The startup captured global attention in fall 2024 when it unveiled its lifelike humanoid robot torso that reminded many of the host drones in the HBO show Westworld. It followed that up in February 2025 with a full-bodied variant called Protoclone V1. While footage of the robot’s subtle movements drew millions of views, it’s yet to demonstrate bipedal locomotion.
In a recent interview published to Clone investor Initialized Capital’s YouTube channel, CEO and co-founder Dhanush Radhakrishnan said the startup has been focused on its highly dexterous robotic hand before tackling mobility. He called the hand the most mechanically complex part of the human body, and that replicating its abilities would unlock rapid progress on the rest of the humanoid form.
“I’m personally most excited to make an untethered biped. That’s been my dream since Day 1,” Radhakrishnan said. “It feels crazy from the outside, but this is basically where I expected us to be by now.”
Radhakrishnan founded Clone Robotics in Poland in 2021 with Łukasz Koźlik, a longtime fluidic muscle researcher. The business partners met on YouTube after Radhakrishnan became fascinated with Koźlik’s early anatomically inspired end-effector prototypes. They launched the startup with about $500,000 in angel funding.
Clone takes a radically different approached compared to most of its contemporaries by prioritizing anatomical realism over mechanical simplicity.
The latest iteration of its full-body prototype has more than 1,000 myofibers, 200+ degrees of freedom (DoF), and a polymer skeleton mimicking all 206 human bones. Initially powered by pneumatics, plans called for a switch to hydraulics, with a 500-watt pump acting as a mechanical heart circulating pressurized fluid throughout the system to drive motions. A unique cooling system mimics human sweating to prevent overheating.
“If you get your artificial muscles close to human performance, the rest is copy-paste,” Radhakrishnan told Initialized Capital. “You don’t need to custom design actuators for every joint. Just follow anatomy.”
After spending its early days prioritizing hardware, Clone’s engineers are shifting focus toward software that they must largely develop in house. Radhakrishnan said the main bottleneck for untethered locomotion developing control and simulation software that understands human biology more than machinery.
Once computer simulations closely match how the real robot behaves, the CEO, the robot’s digital twin can practice millions of movements virtually before the learning is transferred to the physical machine. He said the team of the team is pursuing a foundation model for robot control based on motion capture, egocentric video, and light teleoperation.
According to Pitchbook, Clone has raised at least $7.1 million in early-stage funding from venture firms and angel investors, including Y Combinator co-founder Trevor Blackwell. The startup briefly pursued public crowdfunding through Republic in 2023, raising about $640,000 before withdrawing the campaign and refunding investors, a move widely seen as clearing the path for larger institutional rounds.
Clone has reported that at least 16 advanced AI labs have preorders early versions of the Hand of Clone, while more than 116 customers have placed orders for a torso prototype. Use cases range from academic research to light industrial experimentation. The startup has also explored collaborations to adapt its artificial muscle technology for prosthetics and exoskeletons.