{"id":"9efbc968-eb3d-4e2b-9d4c-41c353938fc6","name":"Highlanders Inc","slug":"highlanders","description":"[Highlanders](https://www.highlanders.ai/) is a Tokyo-based robotics startup developing general-purpose humanoid robots and the Kepler AI foundation model for physical intelligence. Founded in May 2023, the company builds the [HL Human](/models/highlanders-hl-human) (prototype N) — a 1.4m-tall humanoid with 19 degrees of freedom designed for factory tasks — and the HLQ Pro quadruped for heavier transport. In July 2026, Highlanders signed an MOU with [Mitsubishi Motors](https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/) to jointly develop humanoid robots and mass-produce them at Mitsubishi's Kyoto Plant starting as early as 2027, targeting 1,000 units per month.","status":"private","founded":2023,"hq":"Tokyo, Japan","hqLat":35.6768601,"hqLng":139.7638947,"hqGeocodedAt":"2026-08-05T14:32:43.410Z","hqAddress":null,"hqPrecision":null,"website":"https://www.highlanders.ai","fundingTotal":null,"type":"hardware","roles":["robot_maker"],"reviewStatus":"reviewed","heatIndex":52,"lifecycleState":"active","supersededByCompanyId":null,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.facebook.com/AutoNews/posts/mitsubishi-is-partnering-with-japanese-robotics-startup-highlanders-inc-to-devel/1639440564708337/","title":"Mitsubishi partnering with Highlanders Inc for humanoid robots","sourceName":"Automotive News","dateAccessed":"2026-07-23"},{"url":"https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/newsroom/newsrelease/2026/20260709_1.html","date":"2026-07-09","title":"Mitsubishi Motors and Highlanders Sign MOU to Establish a New Industrial Foundation Where Humans and Robots Work Together","sourceName":"Mitsubishi Motors"}],"keyFacts":[{"label":"CEO (reported, unconfirmed)","value":"Hiroya Masuoka; University of Tokyo-linked startup founded May 2023."},{"label":"Products (company-claimed)","value":"HL Human humanoid prototype, HLQ Pro quadruped and Kepler v1.0 AI model."},{"label":"HL Human (company-claimed)","value":"1.4 m, 19 DOF, 3 kg payload, 3 km/h; stereo cameras and lidar; VLA capable."},{"label":"Kepler v1.0 (company-claimed)","value":"10B-parameter multimodal physical AI model."},{"label":"Infrastructure (company-claimed)","value":"HISUI training cluster and Artery over-the-air data pipeline."},{"label":"Mitsubishi MOU (company-claimed, Jul 2026)","value":"Joint humanoid work; production at Kyoto Plant from early 2027; Mitsubishi invested."},{"label":"Targets (company-claimed)","value":"1,000 humanoids a month by 2H 2027; 5,000+ contacts and pre-orders."}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"atsProvider":null,"atsSlug":null,"factoryLocations":null,"manufacturingCapacity":null,"orgType":null,"burnSignal":null,"litigationEvents":null,"insurancePostureDisclosed":null,"unitEconomicsDisclosed":null,"tickerSymbol":null,"stockExchange":null,"secCik":null,"revenueUsd":null,"revenueBasis":null,"revenueAsOf":null,"employeeCount":null,"employeeCountBasis":null,"employeeCountAsOf":null,"marketCapUsd":null,"marketCapAsOf":null,"marketCapSource":null,"createdAt":"2026-07-24T03:02:29.058Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-22T03:04:41.769Z","jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/companies/highlanders","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/companies/highlanders","name":"Highlanders Inc","description":"[Highlanders](https://www.highlanders.ai/) is a Tokyo-based robotics startup developing general-purpose humanoid robots and the Kepler AI foundation model for physical intelligence. Founded in May 2023, the company builds the [HL Human](/models/highlanders-hl-human) (prototype N) — a 1.4m-tall humanoid with 19 degrees of freedom designed for factory tasks — and the HLQ Pro quadruped for heavier transport. In July 2026, Highlanders signed an MOU with [Mitsubishi Motors](https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/) to jointly develop humanoid robots and mass-produce them at Mitsubishi's Kyoto Plant starting as early as 2027, targeting 1,000 units per month.","identifier":"9efbc968-eb3d-4e2b-9d4c-41c353938fc6","foundingDate":"2023","address":"Tokyo, Japan","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"verified","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":2,"primary_source_types":[]}}}