Clockwork
Clockwork was a San Francisco-based robotics company founded in 2018 that built an AI-powered nail painting robot and automated manicure system using computer vision and embodied AI. It was acquired by 10Beauty in February 2025, with its IP integrated into 10Beauty's automated beauty product line.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Clockwork does
Clockwork was a San Francisco-based robotics company founded in 2018 that built AI-powered robotic systems for automated beauty services, specifically an AI-powered nail painting robot and a broader automated manicure system. Its core technology combined computer vision — used to detect nail boundaries, shape, and positioning — with embodied AI controlling robotic actuation to perform multi-step polish application with limited human intervention. The company operated with a very small team (1–10 employees) under founder & CEO Renuka Apte and CTO Aaron Feldstein, and raised approximately $10.5 million across disclosed rounds from Initialized Capital (repeat lead), MVP Ventures, and Pipeline Capital, with an early $0 round from Flybridge in 2019.
Clockwork never publicly disclosed pricing, revenue, customer logos, or distribution model, and the underlying revenue mechanics — whether direct-to-consumer hardware, licensed deployment, or B2B placement — are not specified in available sources. The company's go-to-market was effectively pre-commercial at the time of its exit. In February 2025, Clockwork was acquired by 10Beauty, and its AI and robotics intellectual property was integrated into 10Beauty's automated manicure system product line. Following the acquisition, Clockwork ceased operating as an independent entity: its website (likeclockwork.com) is no longer resolvable, and ownership, leadership, and operating status are now subsumed under 10Beauty. The strategic value created during Clockwork's independent life was the AI/computer-vision IP that 10Beauty absorbed rather than a scaled beauty-robotics franchise.
Clockwork firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clockwork
- Legal name
- Clockwork
- Website
- https://likeclockwork.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Clockwork was a San Francisco-based robotics company founded in 2018 that built an AI-powered nail painting robot and automated manicure system using computer vision and embodied AI. It was acquired by 10Beauty in February 2025, with its IP integrated into 10Beauty's automated beauty product line.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clockwork industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Beauty Robotics
- NAICS
- Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (3333)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Humanoid & General-Purpose Robots (HDAAAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Smart Cleaning & Domestic Robotics (Robot Vacuums/Mops, Lawn Robots) (HSAPAQAK), Robot Hardware, Actuators & Components (sensors, grippers, motors) (HDAAAIAL)
Keywords
Where Clockwork is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Clockwork business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations
Clockwork product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clockwork builds AI-powered robotic systems that automate the manicure process. Its flagship product is a nail painting robot that uses computer vision and autonomous robotics to detect nail boundaries and apply polish accurately for consumers on the go.
Product overview
Clockwork was a beauty technology company specializing in AI-powered robotic systems for automated manicures. The company offered an AI-powered nail painting robot that utilized computer vision and autonomous robotics to perform automated nail painting. Clockwork's flagship products included an AI-powered nail painting robot and an automated manicure system. In February 2025, Clockwork was acquired by 10Beauty, which integrated Clockwork's intellectual property and AI technology into its product line to expand automated beauty services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AI-Powered Nail Painting Robot An automated robot system that uses AI and computer vision to paint nails accurately and consistently, representing an application of embodied AI in the beauty industry for consumers.
- Automated Manicure System A comprehensive automated manicure solution developed by Clockwork that performs nail painting through autonomous robotic motion, now integrated into 10Beauty's product line following the acquisition.
Companies that use Clockwork
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Clockwork technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature1 record
Clockwork partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- 10Beautycore10Beauty acquired Clockwork to integrate its AI-powered nail painting robot technology into 10Beauty's automated manicure system product line. The acquisition focused on expanding automated beauty services by leveraging Clockwork's intellectual property and AI technology.
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Clockwork competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 10Beauty: 10Beauty acquired Clockwork in February 2025 and integrated the AI-powered nail painting robot technology into its automated manicure system product line, making it the closest and most material peer by both product and ownership.
- Nimble Beauty: Nimble Beauty developed an at-home AI-powered robotic nail painting device targeting the same automated manicure use case as Clockwork, making it a direct product competitor in consumer nail-painting robotics.
- Luum: Luum builds autonomous nail painting robots for salons using computer vision and robotic arms — directly comparable to Clockwork's AI-powered nail painting robot in end-application and underlying technology stack.
Emerging players
- Apptronik: Apptronik develops embodied AI humanoid robots for real-world work, sharing Clockwork's underlying AI-meets-physical-manipulation thesis, even though its commercial focus is general-purpose humanoid automation rather than beauty services.
- Figure AI: Figure builds humanoid general-purpose robots powered by embodied AI — a comparable AI-driven manipulation platform to Clockwork's nail painting robot, though aimed at broader labor-replacement use cases rather than personal services.
- 1X Technologies: 1X (formerly Halodi Robotics) develops AI-powered humanoid service robots with similar embodied AI and manipulation technology to Clockwork's, targeting in-home and commercial service work as adjacent consumer robotics applications.
- Sanctuary AI: Sanctuary AI builds general-purpose humanoid robots with embodied AI for service applications, sharing Clockwork's underlying physical-AI architecture even though aimed at general labor markets rather than nail care specifically.
- Covariant: Covariant applies embodied AI to warehouse picking and manipulation robotics — a comparable AI-driven manipulation platform to Clockwork's nail painting system, though oriented to industrial fulfillment rather than consumer beauty services.
- Locus Robotics: Locus Robotics deploys autonomous mobile robots in commercial warehouse and retail fulfillment environments, sharing the consumer-of-service-robotics business model with Clockwork's salon-deployment concept, though applied to logistics rather than beauty.
Others
- Y Combinator beauty/robotics portfolio (e.g., Clockwise): The YC ecosystem includes adjacent early-stage consumer robotics and beauty automation startups that share Clockwork's DNA of applied embodied AI for consumer services, making the YC portfolio an indirect comparable set for capital-efficiency and exit benchmarks.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Clockwork social profiles
Digital presenceClockwork financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clockwork leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Clockwork funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clockwork M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clockwork
What does Clockwork do?
Clockwork builds AI-powered robotic systems that automate the manicure process. Its flagship product is a nail painting robot that uses computer vision and autonomous robotics to detect nail boundaries and apply polish accurately for consumers on the go.
Is Clockwork a public or private company?
Clockwork is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Clockwork founded?
Clockwork was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Clockwork based?
Clockwork is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Clockwork's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 10Beauty, Nimble Beauty and Luum. Emerging players are Apptronik, Figure AI, 1X Technologies, Sanctuary AI, Covariant and Locus Robotics. Y Combinator beauty/robotics portfolio (e.g., Clockwise) is listed as an others.
Does Clockwork have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clockwork.
What industry is Clockwork in?
Clockwork's product category is Beauty Robotics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAIAJ, Humanoid & General-Purpose Robots, with a secondary code of HSAPAQAK, Smart Cleaning & Domestic Robotics (Robot Vacuums/Mops, Lawn Robots). Its NAICS code is 3333.