- ‘Hidden Dragon’ map highlights full-stack ecosystem from robots to applications
- Hangzhou dominates as regional cluster takes shape
Zhejiang has mapped out its fast-growing embodied AI sector with a new industry chart covering 128 companies, underscoring the scale and structure of one of China’s most active robotics clusters.
The “Wolong Map,” or a roster of so-called Hidden Dragons, was released at the 10th All Blossom Conference in Hangzhou on April 24.
It includes 108 representative embodied AI startups and 20 listed companies. Compiled by the venture capital committee of the China Association for the Promotion of Investment, the Hangzhou Entrepreneurship & Venture Association and digital think-tank Welian, the chart aims to capture the province’s emerging ecosystem spanning robotics hardware, software and applications.
At the top tier, three companies—BrainCo (强脑科技), Unitree (宇树科技) and DEEP Robotics (云深处科技)—are identified as leading players. Alongside the trio is a broader group of 18 key firms including Gosion-Robot (国巡机器人), Micbot (具微智能), Style3D (凌迪科技), Spirit AI (千寻智能), Differential Robotics (微分智飞), Wiseking (唯精医疗), Westlake Robotics (西湖机器人) and Simplexity Robotics (至简动力), Yigoli (驿公里智能)、Udeer.ai (有鹿机器人).
They span segments such as industrial design, medical robotics and AI systems form a second tier of key contenders.
The map divides the ecosystem into five layers: robot bodies, “brains” (software and control systems), core supply chain, application scenarios and listed firms.
The structure reflects a full-stack approach, linking upstream components with downstream deployment across industrial, service and specialized use cases.
By segment, the ecosystem includes 11 companies focused on robot bodies, 25 on control and intelligence systems, 24 in the core supply chain—spanning control, perception and dexterous manipulation—and 48 in application scenarios.
These applications range from industrial and service robots to specialized robotics, low-altitude systems and embodied vehicles.
Geographically, the sector is heavily concentrated in Hangzhou, which hosts 83 of the 128 companies and serves as the core hub for both hardware and AI development.
Jiaxing ranks second with six firms, focusing on supply chain and applications, while Taizhou, Shaoxing and Ningbo each host four companies tied to their respective manufacturing strengths.
Huzhou, Jinhua, Quzhou and Wenzhou round out the distribution with smaller but specialized clusters.
The breakdown highlights a “hub-and-network” structure, with Hangzhou leading innovation while other cities contribute manufacturing capacity and niche expertise, forming a coordinated regional ecosystem for embodied AI.
