Rainbow Robotics Company Profile: History, Samsung Ownership, Products and Stock
Updated: 7 days ago
Rainbow Robotics is a South Korean robot maker founded in 2011 by the KAIST team that built HUBO, the country's first two-legged humanoid. Samsung Electronics raised its stake to 35% at the end of 2024 and made the company a subsidiary. This profile sets out its history, ownership, products and share data.
Rainbow Robotics at a Glance
Fact | Detail |
Company | Rainbow Robotics |
Founded | February 10, 2011 |
Founders | Professor Oh Jun-ho of KAIST's HUBO Lab, with KAIST researchers |
Headquarters | Daedeok Innopolis, Daejeon, South Korea |
Largest shareholder | Samsung Electronics, 35% |
Stock listing | Korea Exchange: 277810 |
Market capitalization | About USD 6.2 billion in October 2026 |
Company History
Rainbow Robotics grew out of the HUBO Lab at KAIST, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. In 2012 it produced 15 HUBO-2 Plus humanoids, of which 11 went abroad to the United States, Japan, Singapore and China. In 2015 its DRC-HUBO robot won the DARPA Robotics Challenge, an international competition for disaster-response robots. The company later built a commercial business in collaborative robots, and in 2023 it established a US subsidiary in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Key milestones
2011: Founded in Daejeon.
2012: HUBO-2 Plus humanoids sold to research institutions.
2015: Wins the DARPA Robotics Challenge.
2023: Samsung Electronics buys 14.7%; US subsidiary established.
December 2024: Samsung announces an increase to 35%.
2025: Becomes a Samsung Electronics subsidiary.
Samsung's Investment
Date | Step | Amount |
2023 | Samsung Electronics acquires 14.7% | KRW 86.8 billion |
December 2024 | Stake raised to 35%, making Samsung the largest shareholder | KRW 267 billion |
Samsung said the deal would strengthen its robotics work and speed up the development of humanoid robots, and that it would help Rainbow expand overseas. It created a Future Robotics Office reporting directly to its chief executive. Oh Jun-ho, who had been Rainbow's largest shareholder, stayed on the board, leads that office and serves as an adviser. At the time of the announcement Rainbow had 86 employees.
Products
Collaborative robots.
Dual-arm mobile manipulators.
Autonomous mobile robots for manufacturing and logistics.
Humanoid platforms from the HUBO line.
Quadruped robots.
Specialized machines such as astronomical mount systems and medical laser robots.
Rainbow Robotics product reviews on All Things Cobots
Stock Information
Item | Detail |
Listing | Korea Exchange: 277810 |
Market capitalization | About USD 6.2 billion in October 2026 |
Share price | Equivalent to about USD 320 |
One-year change | Up about 39% |
The valuation is very large for a company of its size, and reflects investors' expectations of Samsung's robot plans more than current business.
Note: share prices are indicative figures as of early October 2026 and change daily. This section is general information, not investment advice.
Strengths and Challenges
Strengths
Deep humanoid expertise from the HUBO programme.
Samsung Electronics as controlling shareholder and partner.
Its own core components and control technology.
Challenges
A small organization relative to its market value.
Commercial results that still have to catch up with expectations.
Current Catalogue Coverage
Catalogue checked on 15 October 2026: 5 associated product records. The links below are representative entries, rather than a claim that every historical model is currently available.
Rainbow Robotics FAQ
Who owns Rainbow Robotics?
Samsung Electronics is the largest shareholder, with 35%, and Rainbow is a Samsung subsidiary.
Is Rainbow Robotics publicly traded?
Yes, on the Korea Exchange under the code 277810.
Who founded Rainbow Robotics?
Professor Oh Jun-ho of KAIST's HUBO Lab, with KAIST researchers, in 2011.
How much did Samsung pay for its stake?
KRW 86.8 billion for 14.7% in 2023 and KRW 267 billion to reach 35%, announced in December 2024.
What does Rainbow Robotics make?
Collaborative robots, dual-arm mobile manipulators, mobile robots and humanoid platforms.
Sources
TechCrunch: Samsung becomes largest shareholder of Rainbow Robotics
Wikipedia: Rainbow Robotics
CompaniesMarketCap: Rainbow Robotics
