Matt Freed is a serial entrepreneur and hardware engineer at the forefront of the humanoid robotics revolution. As co-founder and hardware lead of K-Scale Labs, a Y Combinator-backed startup in Palo Alto, California, Freed has dedicated himself to democratizing advanced robotics through open-source innovation. The company's mission—to propel humanity up the Kardashev scale by making general-purpose robotic intelligence ubiquitous—reflects Freed's bold vision for a future where embodied AI is cheap, plentiful, and transformative. K-Scale Labs develops affordable humanoid robots like the K-Bot (under $10K) and Z-Bot, designed for developers, researchers, and hobbyists, with full hardware and software open-sourced on GitHub. Their prototypes, such as the 3D-printable Stompy and sim-to-real trained models, have garnered attention for achieving high performance at low cost, hitting $1M in pre-orders within 18 months. Freed's technical prowess stems from a hybrid background in mechanical engineering and computer science. He earned a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2015-2019), followed by a Master's in Computer Science from Cornell Tech (2019-2020), focusing on deep learning and autonomous driving. Early career internships at Sikorsky (aerostructures, hydraulics, mechanical controls) and a stint as Software Engineer at General Dynamics Electric Boat honed his skills in complex systems. Before K-Scale, Freed founded and led Malamute (2020-2023), deploying early language models for manufacturing speech recognition, partnering with giants like Stanley Black & Decker. This blend of hardware grit and software savvy positioned him perfectly when he met K-Scale CEO Ben Bolte; within days, he critiqued initial designs, relocated from New York to California, and built a functional humanoid in three months—eschewing big tech offers for the startup grind. Now at a stealth venture post-K-Scale (ended Dec 2024), Freed continues as a 'reindustrialist' and 'vicious robotic arms dealer' at Tetradynamics, championing open-source collaboration in a field dominated by secretive giants. His philosophy: moats don't matter yet; community-driven iteration will win. With patents like a cervical traction collar and thousands of followers across platforms, Freed embodies the hacker ethos fueling Silicon Valley's next wave in embodied AGI. His insights on transitioning hardware-software paradigms, the collaborative humanoid community, and scaling to billions of robots make him an authority on the robotics frontier. [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT882yPjEvo), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-freed), [K-Scale Blog](https://mikekalil.com/blog/kscale-labs/).
Key Insights from Matt Freed
We’re building the infrastructure to make humanity into a Type I Kardashev civilization, and we’re making it open source and available for everyone.
Built a humanoid robot in three months.
Hybrid of language models and hardware.
Open-source for mass adoption: a billion humanoids.
Notable Quotes from Matt Freed
"Our goal is to basically progress Humanity positively... a billion humanoids out in the wild."
"Can you build a humanoid robot in three months? ... Yes."
"The humanoid robotics community is awesome & collaborative."
"Moats don’t matter right now."
Frequently Asked Questions about Matt Freed
What is K-Scale Labs' approach to humanoid robots?
K-Scale Labs focuses on open-source, low-cost humanoids like K-Bot ($9K, 1.4m tall, 120Nm torque) and Z-Bot ($1K), using 3D printing and sim-to-real RL training. Their GitHub repos (kbot, ksim) enable global developers to build, iterate, and deploy, aiming for ubiquity to advance humanity. Unlike closed competitors, they prioritize auditability and accessibility. [GitHub](https://github.com/kscalelabs). (124 words)
How did Matt Freed enter robotics?
From mech eng internships at Sikorsky/Lockheed (hydraulics, controls), to CS Master's at Cornell Tech (deep learning, AV), to founding Malamute (speech AI for manufacturing). Met Ben Bolte, joined K-Scale days later, built first humanoid prototype in 3 months despite big tech offers. Now stealth post-K-Scale. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-freed). (112 words)
Why open-source humanoids?
Freed argues closed-source limits to elite players; open enables billion-scale adoption via community iteration. K-Scale hit $1M pre-orders fast by building public, contrasting secretive firms. Frees innovation for real-world tasks. [Mike Kalil](https://mikekalil.com/blog/kscale-labs/). (108 words)