Hayward just turned into one of the Bay Area’s most sci-fi job sites. Robotics firm 1X Technologies has fired up full-scale production of NEO, its home humanoid robot, inside a newly opened 58,000-square-foot factory. The plant already employs more than 200 workers and is initially aiming to roll out about 10,000 NEOs a year, with the company saying it plans to ramp toward 100,000 units annually by the end of 2027. A preorder surge that snapped up the first year of production within days has shipments on track to start in 2026.
In a company announcement, 1X dubbed the Hayward facility “America’s first vertically integrated high-volume humanoid robot factory,” saying it is building many of the most critical parts in-house, including motors, batteries and sensors. Early NEO units are already pitching in on the line with parts handling and data collection, and the company says the plant went from permits to operation in roughly three months, producing thousands of motors on-site, according to 1X.
Why Hayward matters
The Hayward factory plugs into a larger push to bring advanced manufacturing back to the Bay Area and tighten up long, fragile supply chains. That trend, and the money chasing it, was highlighted by the Los Angeles Times, which noted that 1X has attracted a roster of high-profile investors. The company has said this East Bay site is just the start, with an even larger plant planned in San Carlos as it ramps capacity.
What NEO can do — and who it is for
NEO is built to be roughly human-sized and decidedly non-threatening. It stands about 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighs around 66 pounds and is being offered at an early-access price of $20,000, with a $200 refundable deposit, or through a $499 per month subscription, according to 1X. Under the sleek shell is a soft, tendon-driven mechanical design, on-board NVIDIA computing power and a “Redwood” world model that learns from real-world environments rather than just lab setups.
For all the futuristic marketing, 1X is also trying to keep expectations in check. The company cautions that early owners should be ready for some hand-holding at first: more complex household chores may require scheduled remote assistance from trained human operators while the AI system gets up to speed in each home, according to the same 1X materials.
Robots building robots
In a twist straight out of a summer blockbuster, the company has released footage of NEO units already at work inside the Hayward plant. The videos show the humanoids carrying parts, stocking bins and handling basic logistics, a small-scale version of what 1X describes as “robots helping build robots,” as TechRadar noted. For now, the company stresses that humans still handle most of the critical assembly, with NEO gradually taking on more support roles such as security and broader logistics as software and safety testing progress.
“Long term, the possibilities are near limitless,” 1X wrote in its factory announcement, framing NEO as something that could eventually handle far more than simple household chores, according to GlobeNewswire. As deliveries begin in 2026, local officials, workers and early customers will be watching closely to see whether the robots live up to the hype on safety, privacy and everyday performance.
