Humanoid and QSS Team Up to Transform Saudi Robotics Landscape

Humanoid, a British AI and robotics company, has teamed up with Saudi Arabia’s QSS AI & Robotics in a major move aimed at pushing the frontiers of humanoid robotics in the Kingdom. The collaboration falls neatly in line with Saudi’s Vision 2030, which has placed a spotlight on technology localisation and digital transformation.

Under the deal, QSS becomes the exclusive local partner for Humanoid — handling commercial operations, distribution, and, crucially, localisation. In a nutshell, that means bringing Humanoid’s advanced robots to sectors ranging from logistics and manufacturing to retail and infrastructure. It’s quite the ambitious rollout, if you ask me.

The two companies plan to shape a strategy tailor-made for the Saudi market, ensuring every step meshes with national policy priorities. Perhaps the most impressive part is QSS’s use of its Riyadh-based Robotics Factory — the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia — which will assemble and customise Humanoid’s robots locally. That’s not just a nod to sustainability; it’s also a savvy business move to reduce costs and quicken delivery timelines. Spot on, really.

And there’s more. The partners have thrashed out a non-binding pre-order framework — potentially up to 10,000 humanoid units over the next five years. That’s one of the biggest planned deployments of its kind in the Middle East. I reckon it’s a clear sign that industrial automation in the region is shifting from theory to action, faster than many outsiders realise.

They’re also setting up something a little flashier: a “Humanoid Lounge” in Riyadh. Think of it as an experience centre — part showroom, part education hub — where visitors can see robots in action and imagine how these machines could slot into everyday life. It’s meant to bring the future of robotics just close enough to touch.

Artem Sokolov, founder of Humanoid, described Saudi Arabia as “one of the most forward-looking markets in the world when it comes to innovation,” adding that the partnership marks Humanoid’s first step into the MENA region. On the flip side, Dr. Elie Metri, the CEO of QSS, noted how the joint effort meshes global engineering with local manufacturing muscle — a combination that could well make Saudi Arabia a robotics powerhouse.

Here at Arageek, we often see startups in the region grappling with scale and localisation; it’s a bit of a faff, honestly. So watching a partnership like this take shape — marrying tech ambition with grounded, on-the-ground capability — feels like a turning point. It’s early days, but, well… I’m cautiously chuffed to bits about where this could lead.

The marriage of British innovation and Saudi execution might not be smooth sailing all the way — but if it clicks, it could definately redefine how the region thinks about robotics production and adoption.

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