Boston Dynamics is a global leader in developing highly mobile robots. It has developed three dynamically stable, legged robots (Spot, Stretch, and Atlas) that can perform a variety of tasks. It has deployed thousands of its robots in commercial and academic settings, giving it more real-world experience than any other robot developer.
The company is still in the early stages of developing deployable robots that can help companies automate more tasks. It has tremendous growth potential as robots become more mainstream. The company believes that robots could be in homes in the next 10 to 20 years.
Boston Dynamics' growth potential likely has many people wondering how they can invest in its stock if it completes an initial public offering (IPO). This guide will show you how to invest in Boston Dynamics and other robotics stocks.
Is Boston Dynamics publicly traded?
Boston Dynamics wasn't a publicly traded company in mid-2025. It was a private company, majority-owned by Hyundai (OTC:HYMTF). The South Korean automaker acquired an 80% controlling interest in Boston Dynamics from Softbank (SFTBF -0.60%) in 2021. The deal valued the robotics company at $1.1 billion. Softbank retained the remaining 20% interest in Boston Dynamics.
When will Boston Dynamics IPO?
Boston Dynamics didn't have an IPO on the calendar in late-2025. And the company likely won't go public anytime soon. Hyundai acquired a controlling stake in the robotics company in 2021 to advance its robotics strategy.
The South Korean automaker saw the acquisition as an opportunity to establish a leading presence in the robotics industry and continue its transformation into a smart mobility solutions provider. Given the strategic importance of Boston Dynamics to Hyundai, it likely won't complete an IPO of the majority-owned entity anytime soon.
IPO
Is Boston Dynamics profitable?
As a private company, Boston Dynamics doesn't publicly report its profitability. However, its publicly traded majority owner, Hyundai, does report its profitability (although it doesn't break out the robotics company's results).
In 2024, the South Korean automaker was solidly profitable. The company's revenue rose 7.7%, while its annual net profit increased 7.8%. However, it makes most of its money from selling cars and providing financing.
Boston Dynamics is likely a minimal contributor to its revenue (the company only had a few hundred robots operating when Hyundai acquired its majority stake in 2021). That number is growing (Hyundai will purchase "tens of thousands" of robots from its subsidiary in the future). However, the robotics company also likely isn't yet profitable due to its substantial investments in smart mobility solutions, like autonomous driving, artificial intelligence (AI), smart factories, and robots.
Alternatives to Boston Dynamics
Here are some alternatives to Boston Dynamics to consider while you wait to see if it goes public:
Intuitive Surgical
Intuitive Surgical (ISRG -0.14%) pioneered robotic-assisted, minimally invasive surgery. The medical technology company develops and manufactures the da Vinci surgical system. It won approval for its fifth-generation robotic system (da Vinci 5) in early 2024.
ABB
ABB (OTC:ABBN.Y) is a large European industrial company that makes robots and robotic equipment. The company is a global leader in electrification and automation. Its robotics platform, ABB Robotics, is one of the world's leading robotics and machine automation suppliers.
iRobot
iRobot (NASDAQ:IRBT) is a leading global consumer robot company. It created the first home cleaning robot (Roomba) in 2002 and has sold more than 50 million robots worldwide. Global e-commerce giant Amazon (AMZN +0.52%) tried to buy iRobot for $1.7 billion in 2022 to expand its robotics platform. However, Amazon terminated the deal in 2024 due to regulatory concerns about competition in the sector.
How to buy stocks similar to Boston Dynamics
Although Boston Dynamics isn't a publicly traded company, you can still invest in the robotics developer through Hyundai. In addition, you can consider investing in one of its publicly traded competitors while you watch for its IPO. This step-by-step guide will show you how to add Hyundai to your portfolio (or one of Boston Dynamics' competitors in the robotics industry):
- Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
- Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
ETFs with exposure to Boston Dynamics
Many people would prefer to invest passively rather than pick a portfolio of stocks they need to actively manage. Anyone can be a passive investor with exchange-traded funds (ETFs). They enable you to gain passive exposure to a company, theme, or the broader market.
Although Boston Dynamics is a private company (and not held by ETFs), its parent, Hyundai, is a publicly traded company. Several ETFs own shares of Hyundai, including:
- iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY -0.69%): The fund provides exposure to large and mid-sized companies headquartered in Korea. It held shares of 83 companies in mid-2025, including Hyundai (fourth-largest holding, at 2.6% of the fund's assets). The ETF provided broad exposure to Korean companies for an ETF expense ratio of 0.59%.
An alternative is to invest in an ETF focused on the robotics sector. Notable robotics ETFs include:
- Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ +0.58%): The ETF focuses on companies that stand to benefit from the growing adoption and utilization of robotics and AI. It held 50 stocks in mid-2025, including Intuitive Surgical and ABB (its third- and fourth-largest holdings). The fund had a 0.68% expense ratio.
- ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF (ROBO -0.67%): The fund focuses on robotics, automation, and AI. It had 74 holdings in mid-2025, including Intuitive Surgical (its largest holding). The ETF had a rather high expense ratio of 0.95%.
Should you invest in Boston Dynamics?
While you can't invest in Boston Dynamics yet since it hasn't completed an IPO, you can invest in its majority owner, Hyundai. Here are some reasons you might want to invest in the South Korean automaker to gain exposure to Boston Dynamics:
- You want immediate exposure to Boston Dynamics while you await its potential future IPO.
- You like Hyundai's smart mobility solutions strategy and believe it will be a significant value creator for investors.
- You understand the risks of investing in Hyundai, including that most of its revenue comes from selling cars not robots.
- You believe Hyundai is a lower-risk way to invest in the robotics and AI trends than other pure-play robotics and automation companies.
On the other hand, here are some reasons you might opt against investing in Boston Dynamics through Hyundai:
- You want direct exposure to a robotics company.
- You're not sure Boston Dynamics will be a needle-moving investment for Hyundai stock.
- You'd rather not invest in companies headquartered outside the U.S.
- You have already invested in another car stock.
The bottom line
Boston Dynamics is an innovative robotics company. It has developed several robots that can help companies automate more tasks. While it's still very early in its development, many investors eagerly await its IPO.
However, they might have to be patient because Hyundai acquired a majority stake in the company to drive its smart mobility solutions strategy. As a result, investors might have to either invest in the automotive company or a competing robotics company since Boston Dynamics might never go public.
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