Humanoid robotic from Unitree Robotics after a boxing match in the course of the World Sensible Business Expo 2025 at Chongqing Worldwide Expo Middle in Chongqing, China on September 7, 2025.
China Information Service | China Information Service | Getty Photographs
Unitree Robotics, one in all China’s hottest expertise startups, is planning an preliminary public providing that might worth the corporate at as much as 50 billion yuan ($7 billion), and assist set up itself as a world chief in humanoid robots.
So-called humanoid robots are synthetic intelligence-powered machines designed to resemble people in look and motion, with purposes within the industrial and repair sectors.
Zhejiang-based Unitree has established itself as a pacesetter in China’s humanoid robotic house, and its itemizing plans might make it one of many first corporations specializing within the expertise to go public.
The corporate’s contemporary valuation goal, first reported by Reuters, citing two individuals with data of the plans, would mark a pointy bounce from its newest fundraising spherical reported on in June. On the time, the corporate had attracted main backers akin to Geely, Alibaba and Tencent.
Unitree, in a publish on its X account on Aug. 27, outlined its plans to IPO, saying that it was actively advancing itemizing preparations and was anticipating to submit the applying paperwork within the fourth quarter of the 12 months.
It stays unclear how a lot Unitree is looking for to lift within the IPO. The corporate just lately instructed native Chinese language media that it has been worthwhile since 2020 and now has revenues exceeding 1 billion Chinese language yuan ($140.35 million).
Unitree didn’t reply to CNBC’s request for remark.
An providing of this dimension could be one of many largest Chinese language tech listings lately. The mainland inventory market has been step by step reviving following years of tightened regulatory scrutiny and volatility.
Unitree’s itemizing plan additionally comes as Beijing steps up efforts to assist its native champions in synthetic intelligence-related industries. Its founder, Wang Xingxing, was reportedly amongst a gaggle of tech leaders who attended a uncommon assembly with Chinese language President Xi Jinping earlier this 12 months.
In 2023, China’s Ministry of Business and Info Know-how issued tips for humanoid robots, calling for “manufacturing at scale” by 2025.
Competitors heats up
Unitree is a part of a wave of Chinese language humanoid robotic corporations, together with Agibot, also referred to as Zhiyuan Robotics and Galbot, a Beijing-based robotics start-up backed by the Hong Kong authorities.
These corporations have been speeding to get their robots deployed in factories throughout China. EV makers like BYD and Geely have already reportedly deployed a few of Unitree’s humanoid robots at their manufacturing traces.
In the meantime, Chinese language humanoid robots have taken heart stage in latest publicized occasions such because the World Robotic Convention and World Humanoid Robotic Video games.
As these corporations rush to get their robots deployed in factories throughout China, an IPO might assist Unitree set up itself as China’s main agency in humanoid robots, in line with Lian Jye Su, chief analyst at impartial analyst and consultancy agency Omdia.
“Unitree is likely one of the world’s main distributors in cell robots and it’ll possible be a high participant within the humanoid robotics sector,” he stated.
In response to estimates from Omdia, a complete of 15,000 items are anticipated to be shipped this 12 months, with Unitree’s share second solely to its home competitor Agibot.
Competitors can also be heating up internationally. The U.S. has seen its personal burgeoning humanoid robotic gamers, akin to Boston Dynamics and Determine AI, emerge. Nonetheless, Tesla’s Optimus seems to be main the pack in industrial readiness, with CEO Elon Musk beforehand stating plans to supply about 5,000 items this 12 months.
Nonetheless, analysts have beforehand instructed CNBC that China has established an early lead within the humanoid robotics house when it comes to industrial merchandise and pricing.
A analysis word from Morgan Stanley final month stated that the Unitree G1 was possible probably the most used humanoid robotic globally, given its low $16,000 beginning worth level. Tesla’s Optimus Gen2 humanoid robotic is anticipated to price at the very least $20,000.
In the meantime, Unitree just lately unveiled a brand new humanoid, the Unitree R1, with a beginning worth of $5,900. In response to Morgan Stanley, whereas these cheaper humanoids is probably not probably the most superior, they are going to be priceless for Unitree to gather important information wanted to coach its subsequent technology of robotic fashions.
Nonetheless, whereas China might have an early lead within the industrial success of humanoid robots, analysts word that the U.S. has strengths within the broader AI robotics atmosphere.
The U.S. has sturdy chipset makers like Nvidia and Intel, hyperscalers akin to Google and Meta, and robotics software program distributors akin to Bodily Intelligence and Skild AI, which give it an “equally, if no more strong” total humanoid robotic ecosystem, stated Omdia analyst Su.
For instance, Chinese language humanoid robotic makers – together with Unitree Robotics – have develop into early adopters of Nvidia’s humanoid robotic applied sciences. That features Nvidia’s just lately launched Jetson AGX Thor platform, which permits their machines to have real-time, clever interactions with individuals.
Merrill Lynch analysts estimated in a latest analysis word that international humanoid robotic shipments will attain 18,000 items in 2025 from 2,500 items the 12 months prior. It additionally estimates a world robotic inhabitants of three billion by 2060.