- China’s humanoid robot maker plans to advance foundation models, core hardware and new robot forms
- Wang Xingxing says the industry remains in an early phase, urging investors to focus on long-term value rather than speculation
Unitree (宇树科技) founder and CEO Wang Xingxing (王兴兴) said the company will accelerate efforts in embodied AI, core robotics technologies and new robot platforms as it prepares to enter the public market, marking a new phase for one of China’s most closely watched robotics startups.
Speaking at Unitree’s STAR Market IPO online roadshow on August 7, Wang said the listing would serve as a new starting point for the company as it expands research into general-purpose embodied intelligent robots and their commercial applications.
The company plans to focus on several key areas, including embodied AI foundation models, real-world data collection and analysis, reinforcement learning, robot body models, proprietary components and high-performance actuators.
Unitree also plans to explore a wider range of robot products, including humanoid robots, quadruped robots, mechs and other robotic platforms, with the goal of deploying machines in physically demanding and high-risk work environments while freeing humans for more creative tasks.
Industry still in early stage
Despite growing excitement around humanoid robots, Wang said the sector remains in its early development stage, comparing today’s embodied AI industry to the early days of personal computers.
The biggest challenge is still improving robots’ ability to adapt to unfamiliar environments. Achieving broad real-world deployment will require advances across hardware, AI models, data and industrial applications, he said.
Wang also sought to temper expectations around Unitree’s market debut, saying the company hopes investors are buying shares based on confidence in its long-term value rather than short-term speculation.
Notably, DeepSeek, a fellow Hangzhou startup and one of its iconic “Six Dragons,” has invested $20.8 million yuan in Unitree’s IPO.
IPO values company at 60.9 billion yuan
Unitree set its IPO price at 150.8 yuan per share, valuing the company at about 60.9 billion yuan ($9 billion) and raising approximately 6.1 billion yuan through the offering.
The company said it achieved rapid growth in adjusted net profit in 2025 and became the world’s largest humanoid robot supplier by shipment volume.
The IPO marks a major milestone for China’s embodied AI sector, where startups are racing to combine large AI models, robotic hardware and industrial applications into commercially viable systems.
Unitree’s listing comes as investors increasingly view embodied intelligence as a potential next frontier for AI, moving beyond digital assistants and into machines capable of interacting with the physical world.
