Stretch helps user Keith, who has regained some independence after a spinal cord injury. Source: Hello Robot
The World Economic Forum yesterday named Hello Robot Inc. as a 2026 Technology Pioneer. The company has developed the Stretch mobile manipulator to aid older adults and people with disabilities, demonstrating the potential of physical AI.
“There has never been a more exciting time to push the boundaries of what technology can do for humanity,” said Verena Kuhn, head of innovator communities at the World Economic Forum. “Some of the most meaningful innovations are those built around people.”
“As the Technology Pioneers program celebrates its 26th year, we continue to champion start-ups that don’t just advance what’s technically possible, but direct that capability toward the world’s most urgent human needs,” she added.
The Geneva-based World Economic Forum said it is an international organization for public-private cooperation dedicated to improving the state of the world. Each year, it picks 100 Technology Pioneers, honoring early-stage companies whose innovations are transforming business and society at large.
Stretch is already an RBR50 honoree
Aaron Edsinger and Charlie Kemp, who have more than 50 years of combined robotics experience from MIT, Google, and the Georgia Institute of Technology, founded Hello Robot in 2017. The Martinez, Calif.-based company‘s stated goal is to develop practical, safe, and accessible robots for people.
Hello Robot’s Stretch flagship robot, is an open-source platform for mobile manipulation. The system is designed to operate close to people in homes, workplaces, and care settings.
Last year, Hello Robot’s Stretch 3 won the inaugural RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for Robots for Good.
The company introduced Stretch 4 in May of this year. It completed a major redesign based on customer feedback to provide a versatile and easy-to-use platform for developers.
In addition to deployments at hundreds of research, academic, and corporate locations, Hello Robot has been piloting Stretch with individuals with severe mobility impairments, including people with quadriplegia. They can control the robot through a mobile phone app to accomplish daily tasks such as fetching a drink of water, feeding themselves, and closing the blinds. For many users, these tasks represent a profound increase in independence and agency, said the company.
World Economic Forum validates focus on practical assistance
Hello Robot noted that this year’s Technology Pioneer cohort represents “a new generation of robotics companies that prioritize human benefit over spectacle.” The innovations included robots “designed to operate shoulder-to-shoulder with the people they serve.”
“The robotics world has spent years wowing us with highlight reels of machines doing the extraordinary,” observed Edsinger, CEO of Hello Robot. “What’s been missing from the frame is the person the robot is actually supposed to help.”
“Being named a WEF Technology Pioneer is a meaningful validation that the world is ready for robots that are simply useful — robots that work with people, not just in front of a camera,” he said. “We are proud to join this global community of innovators and look forward to contributing to the global conversation on how technology can enhance life for everyone.”
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