- Investors are backing frontier technologies spanning embodied intelligence, next-generation aviation and advanced therapies
- The latest deals highlight companies moving from early innovation toward clinical, commercial and industrial deployment
Quantum Dynamics closes $15 million seed round for Physical AI
Hangzhou-based Physical AI startup Quantum Dynamics (昆腾动力) has completed a seed round worth more than 100 million yuan ($14.8 million), jointly invested by Yunqi Partners and SenseCapital.
The funding will be used for core Physical AI technology development, talent expansion and global market growth.
Founded in the first half of 2026, Quantum Dynamics was established by former Cainiao CTO Li Qiang (李强). Li spent 17 years at Alibaba, where he served as CTO of Cainiao Group and CTO of Alibaba’s international digital commerce business, while also leading Cainiao’s robovan unit.
He previously managed one of China’s earliest L4 autonomous vehicle fleets to scale beyond 1,000 units.
The company’s core team comes from Alibaba, Cainiao, ByteDance, Huawei and leading universities, with backgrounds spanning autonomous driving, AI algorithms and robotics.
Positioned as a Physical AI systems company, Quantum Dynamics is developing a next-generation Physical AI platform, starting with one of the most challenging robotics problems in logistics: hand-eye coordination.
The company has developed an embodied-native world model designed to enable generalized manipulation decision-making and full-body control. It has already reached cooperation intentions with several leading logistics companies and the world’s largest health supplement e-commerce platform.
Yuntu Air Vehicle raises pre-Series A funding for ducted eVTOL
Hangzhou-based eVTOL developer Yuntu Air Vehicle (云途飞行器) has completed a Pre-A round worth tens of millions of yuan, led by Pudong Venture Capital with participation from Moganshan Fund.
The company will use the funding for full-scale aircraft development, ducted propulsion system testing and core team expansion.
Founded in January 2024, Yuntu focuses on ducted fan eVTOL aircraft. Unlike many eVTOL companies pursuing tilt-rotor designs, Yuntu adopts a “distributed ducted fan plus powered lift” architecture that eliminates complex tilting mechanisms.
The startup also aims to avoid their inherent drawbacks, including higher failure risks, maintenance costs and aircraft weight.
Founder Tian Yun (田云) said the approach offers advantages in safety, reliability and economics.
The company’s YT300 full-scale engineering prototype has completed ground testing and is scheduled for its maiden flight in the second half of 2026. Yuntu previously raised an angel round in 2024 from Frees Fund.
Zecui Biotech secures $75 million funding for next-gen cell therapies
Shanghai-based Zecui Biotech (泽萃生物) has completed a $75 million financing round from multiple undisclosed overseas investors.
The company will use the proceeds to advance research in oncology and endocrine metabolic diseases, focusing on underlying disease mechanisms and accelerating innovative therapies from laboratory development toward clinical applications.
Founded in 2018 by Dr. Zhang Shuren (张树人), Zecui Biotech uses human induced pluripotent stem cell technology to generate specialized neurons in vitro, aiming to replace and repair damaged nerve cells and provide new treatment approaches for Parkinson’s disease.
The company previously raised a $30 million angel round in 2021 to focus on Parkinson’s cell therapy.
As its technology platform has matured, Zecui has expanded beyond a single pipeline and broadened its focus to major disease areas including cancer and metabolic disorders.
YolTech secures $74 million Series C round for in vivo gene editing
Shanghai-based YolTech Therapeutics (尧唐生物) has completed nearly 500 million yuan ($74 million) in Series C financing led by Loyal Valley Capital, with participation from Shanghai SSCI Private Equity Fund Management, Minhang Financial Holdings and Deyue Investment.
Existing investors including K2VC, Grand Flight Investment and Tianjin Venture Capital also participated.
Founded in 2021, YolTech develops in vivo gene editing therapies designed around the concept of “one-time treatment with potential lifelong benefits.”
The company has built proprietary high-throughput editor discovery and evolution platforms, along with a non-viral LNP delivery platform. It currently has six pipelines in clinical development, making it one of the companies with the largest number of in vivo gene editing programs globally.
In 2024, its internally developed YOLT-201 became China’s first LNP-based in vivo gene editing drug to enter registration-stage clinical trials.
The latest funding will support advancement of its core pipelines into global multicenter confirmatory trials and accelerate commercialization efforts.
