US regulators recently banned the import of Chinese-made robots citing national security concerns, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape for robotics companies. Most American robotics startups continue relying on Chinese suppliers for hardware, but Ati Robotics—which assembles robots in India—has positioned itself with significantly fewer Chinese components than competitors.

Ati, originally founded in 2017 to develop motors for autonomous vehicles, pivoted to industrial robots and made the unconventional decision to develop hardware in-house. This strategy reduced Chinese dependence while leveraging India's expanding electric vehicle supply chain in Bangalore for cost-effective, automotive-grade components. The company now operates several hundred robots across over 50 customers and plans to launch its first humanoid robot later this year, demonstrating that local hardware investment can achieve competitive pricing and performance with fewer China-sourced parts.