Genesis AI, a robotics startup backed by Khosla Ventures and other investors including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, has unveiled its first full-stack system in July 2025. After raising $105 million in seed funding, the company released its foundational AI model, GENE-26.5, and demonstrated it using custom-designed robotic hands capable of complex, human-like tasks. The startup's decision to go full-stack, developing both the AI software and proprietary hardware, was driven by the need to control the entire robotics pipeline. While the company acknowledged there are dozens of other firms building robotic grippers, Genesis cofounder and CEO Zhou Xian noted that their in-house hands mimic the size and shape of human hands. This design choice addresses the "embodiment gap" in robotics research by reducing the difference between synthetic manipulators and real-world conditions. The result is a system that can collect more diverse data to train models for a wider array of tasks. In a recent demo, the robots performed intricate actions including cooking by cracking eggs and slicing tomatoes, preparing smoothies, playing the piano, and solving a Rubik's cube. President and former Mistral AI researcher Théophile Gervet highlighted the cooking demonstration as a key proof point, showcasing the robot's ability to execute long sequences of difficult movements. Beyond entertainment or testing scenarios, the technology aims for practical commercial applications in fields like pharmaceutical lab work and manufacturing. To support model training, Genesis developed a lightweight sensor-loaded glove that acts as a real-life double of its robotic hand. Unlike bulkier data collection tools, this glove is designed to be worn easily during daily tasks, allowing for the capture of egocentric video data from humans performing jobs such as lab work. This approach enables the collection of high-quality human skill data without disrupting workflows. However, the founders acknowledged that the success of this data strategy depends on whether workers and their employers agree to share this information, and whether they receive compensation for their contributions. The GENE-26.5 model name reflects a timeline targeting a May 2026 release, though the company expects to iterate rapidly thanks to its proprietary simulation system. This simulation helps overcome the current bottleneck of evaluation speed, accelerating model training. The startup is already building its human skill library using massive amounts of internet videos and plans to partner with third parties for data collection if necessary. Genesis AI, which maintains offices in Paris, California, and London, has expanded its workforce to 60 employees, with a nearly even split between Europe and the United States. The company attributes its presence in Europe to the high density of technical talent on the continent. As it continues to grow, Genesis plans to reveal its first general-purpose full-body robot in the near future, building upon the capabilities demonstrated with its hands. The company maintains that its ultimate goal remains the development of the most capable robotic systems possible.