After emerging from stealth mode last week, Sunday Robotics revealed a founding team composed largely of former Tesla employees, highlighting a growing trend of talent moving from the automaker to new robotics ventures. At least 10 former Tesla staff members are now working at the startup, including several with deep experience in Tesla’s Autopilot and Optimus humanoid robot programs, according to a LinkedIn analysis. Perry Jia, who spent nearly six years at Tesla working on both Autopilot and Optimus, announced in late summer that he had left the company to join Sunday Robotics. Nadeesha Amarasinghe, who previously served as an engineering lead for AI infrastructure at Tesla for over seven years, also transitioned to the startup during the same period. His work at Tesla included supporting both the self-driving and humanoid robot initiatives. Tesla’s Autopilot and Optimus projects are among the company’s most ambitious and high-profile efforts. CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly stated that the success of autonomous driving will be central to Tesla’s long-term value. He has also placed significant emphasis on the Optimus robot, envisioning a future where millions of these human-like machines perform tasks ranging from factory work to personal assistance. Sunday Robotics’ team also includes several former Tesla interns and Autopilot engineers who have worked at the company over the past five years. Jason Peterson, a former employee involved in both Optimus and robotaxi development, is now part of the startup, as confirmed by his LinkedIn profile. The company currently employs around 50 people, including engineers and “memory developers” focused on training the robot’s behavior and decision-making systems, according to its LinkedIn page. On November 19, Sunday Robotics unveiled its first home robot, named Memo. In a video posted to X, co-founder Tony Zhao demonstrated Memo performing household tasks such as picking up wine glasses, loading a dishwasher, and folding socks. Sunday Robotics is one of several startups racing to bring practical home robots to market. Just last month, 1X introduced the consumer-ready version of its Neo robot, with plans to begin shipping to customers in the coming year. The growing number of such ventures reflects increasing confidence in the commercial potential of personal robotics, even as technical and economic challenges remain. Cheng Chi and Tony Zhao co-founded Sunday Robotics in 2024. Zhao’s connection to Tesla includes an internship on the Autopilot team in 2022, as noted on his LinkedIn profile. Tesla and Sunday Robotics have not yet responded to requests for comment.