China’s leading humanoid robot makers are closing some crazy record-breaking deals.
Beijing is well past its stated goal of flooding the global market with more than 10,000 humanoid robots in 2025. With a commanding share of the supply chain, the People’s Republic hopes to control over half of the world’s humanoid population. With rising global tension, policymakers in Washington, Tokyo, and Brussels fear that control over humanoid manufacturing could translate into control over the future of labor, data, and global influence.
Shanghai-based startup AgiBot just scored a deal estimated between $7 million and $11 million with Fulin Precision to unleash around 100 wheeled industrial humanoid workers on its factory floors. The robots will muscle through 10,000 boxes per shift for the auto parts powerhouse that supplies Tesla, BYD, and other EV titans.
The unicorn startup also recently secured a deal alongside Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics worth an estimated $17 million from China Mobile’s Hangzhou arm. The world’s largest telecom operator, with nearly 1 billion users, is bringing humanoids into its network for smart city patrols and automated field repairs.
Meanwhile, Shenzhen’s UBTECH Robotics is strengthening its leadership position in China’s humanoid robotics scene with several blockbuster deals announced including:
- A $12.5 million deal with MEEI Automotive Technology to automate component assembly and,
- A $35 million contract with an undisclosed buyer, likely a top auto, logistics, or electronics giant, which the robotics firm calls the largest sale of its kind.
The humanoids being deployed include UBTECH’s new Walker S2 that can swap out its own batteries for around-the-clock operations.
UBTECH also recently secured a $1 billion financing deal from Abu Dhabi/Hong Kong-based Infini Capital to expand into the Middle East.