On July 7, Tsinghua University-backed embodied intelligence company ROBOTERA announced the completion of a nearly CNY 500 million Series A funding round. The funds will be used for the development and mass production of humanoid robot hardware and software technologies.
Founded in August 2023, ROBOTERA is the only embodied intelligence company owned by Tsinghua University. Its technology approach integrates both hardware and software, with current products including the wheeled humanoid robot Q5, the full-sized bipedal robot STAR 1 for industrial use, and the dexterous five-finger hand XHAND1.
In terms of commercialization, the company has begun large-scale deliveries and is accelerating product deployment in various scenarios. As of June, more than 200 units have been delivered this year, with hundreds more orders in mass production. Over 50% of all orders come from overseas clients, including top-ten global tech companies (excluding Tesla). The company is driving product deployment in high-value scenarios such as industrial logistics and chain retail, and is engaging in strategic partnerships with smart logistics companies to explore the potential applications of humanoid robots in logistics. This is expected to lead to successful implementation in complex industrial logistics scenarios (such as handling, sorting, and scanning).
Globally, 2025 is expected to be the "year of mass production" for humanoid robots. Humanoid robots have largely moved beyond the experimental stage and are now entering initial commercial trials. Both large and small players are joining the market, with many products already being used in factories. Chinese companies such as Unitree Robotics, UBTECH Robotics, and AgiBot are also rapidly advancing product upgrades and commercialization. Industry experts believe that China has a prominent advantage in the humanoid robotics industry, with enormous future growth potential that could drive a trillion-dollar market.