- EV upstart Li Auto’s investment arm leads Series A round for humanoid robotics startup
- Company targets mass production of robotic hands and motion-control components
Xynova (曦诺未来), a Hangzhou-based startup specializing in robotic dexterous hands, has raised several hundred million yuan in a Series A funding round.
Li Auto’s corporate venture arm, CSC Capital and China Securities Investment jointly led the financing, while Yangtze River Delta Digital Culture Group and Yuanjia Fund also participated.
Existing investors including Caitong Capital, Xiaomi’s strategic investment unit and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation’s venture fund also increased their stakes.
The latest round brings Xynova’s total funding to nearly 1 billion yuan ($147 million), making it one of China’s most-funded startups focused on dexterous robotics.
The company said the proceeds will support development of next-generation robotic hands, expansion of manufacturing capacity and integration of hardware, algorithms and training data for embodied AI systems.
Full-stack developer
Xynova positions itself as a full-stack provider of dexterous manipulation systems. Its platform combines robotic hands, arm-hand coordination systems and motion-control algorithms into an integrated “perception-control-decision” architecture.
In May, the startup unveiled the Flex 2, which it described as the world’s first biomimetic robotic hand using a hybrid tendon-and-direct-motor drive system.
Inaugural presence in Vienna
The hand has 23 degrees of freedom and weighs less than 400 grams. The company said the system delivers repeat positioning accuracy within ±0.1 millimeters and force-control precision of 0.05 newtons after completing a million open-close durability tests.
Xynova plans to showcase the product publicly for the first time at the ICRA 2026 robotics conference in Vienna on June 2.
The company’s new 5,400-square-meter factory is expected to begin ramping up production by the end of June. Xynova aims to build annual capacity for 10,000 robotic hands and 200,000 miniature electric cylinders by year-end.
Investors said the financing reflects growing industry consensus that dexterous robotic hands are becoming a key hardware layer for embodied AI systems.
Endorsement by backers
“Dexterous hands are central to the commercialization of embodied intelligence,” Li Auto’s investment arm said in a statement. “Xynova has demonstrated strong system-level capabilities in high-degree-of-freedom robotic hands, hybrid drive architectures and product engineering.”
CSC Capital said Xynova’s vertically integrated approach — spanning motors, control systems, screw drives, reducers, algorithms and in-house manufacturing — could give the company an advantage as humanoid robotics moves toward commercialization.
Founder and chief executive Xia Yuxuan (夏宇轩) studied physics and computer science and previously worked at several investment firms focused on deep technology and robotics sectors.
Xynova is among a growing number of early-stage startups backed by Hangzhou’s state-run 2 billion yuan “Runmiao Fund,” managed by Hangzhou STI Group.
Unlike traditional venture funds that typically operate on five- to seven-year cycles, Runmiao has a 20-year lifespan designed to support deep-tech projects that require longer development and commercialization timelines.
The company was recently named to Hangzhou’s “New Eight Rising Stars” startup list and Zhejiang Province’s 2026 future unicorn roster.
