Competition in the humanoid robotics sector is shifting from “technology showcase” to “order fulfillment.”
During the Year of the Horse Spring Festival Gala, humanoid robots once again became the most talked-about “silicon-based stars.” The high-profile stage exposure not only amplified public attention toward embodied intelligence, but also reignited discussion across the capital markets.
According to exclusive information obtained by ChinaVenture, on March 2, Songyan Dynamics (北京松延动力科技集团股份有限公司) announced the completion of its Series B round, bringing total financing in this round to nearly RMB 1 billion. To date, the company has completed nine financing rounds and finalized its corporate restructuring into a joint-stock company.
More notably, this round reflects a shift in capital structure. The lead investor was Chendao Capital (晨道资本), an industrial investment platform affiliated with CATL (宁德时代), with participation from Guoke Investment (国科投资), Jingguosheng Fund (京国盛基金), and Joy Capital (九合创投). As humanoid robotics moves closer to mass production and commercial delivery, capital allocation is transitioning from pure technology bets toward evaluation of manufacturing capability, supply chain integration, and scalable deployment capacity. Investors with strong industrial backgrounds are increasingly playing a central role in the sector.
On the product side, Songyan Dynamics introduced its entry-level humanoid robot “Xiao Bumi” last year, which officially appeared on the Spring Festival Gala stage. Positioned as one of the company’s core products for 2026, the robot stands approximately 94 centimeters tall and weighs around 17 kilograms, targeting a relatively lightweight form factor. The company has indicated that it will leverage the Spring Festival Gala exposure as a milestone to advance delivery preparations, initially focusing on companionship and educational use cases within household scenarios before expanding into broader applications to drive order growth and shipment scale.
At the same time, the company plans to accelerate overseas certification processes in 2026, targeting markets including North America and Southeast Asia. From an industry perspective, global expansion extends beyond product launch; it requires alignment with regulatory approvals, localized distribution channel development, and after-sales service infrastructure. These elements will be critical in strengthening global operational capabilities and enabling sustainable growth.
As product prices continue to decline and application scenarios become increasingly segmented, competition in the humanoid robotics sector is expected to shift from “technology showcase” to “order fulfillment.” The visibility generated by the Spring Festival Gala marks only the beginning. The decisive phase of competition is unfolding on factory floors and in real-world markets.
A robot developed by a post-95s team made its Spring Festival Gala debut.
Thirty years later, comedian Cai Ming (蔡明) once again shared the Spring Festival Gala stage with a robot during this Year of the Horse broadcast. In the sketch “Grandma’s Favorite”, the performance created a cross-generational callback—this time with a real humanoid robot.
Unlike in 1996, when Cai Ming portrayed a robot herself, the robot appearing on stage this year was a biomimetic humanoid developed by Songyan Dynamics. The product features highly anthropomorphic styling, including refined makeup design, skin texture simulation, and facial expression control. Its lip-sync and speech rhythm coordination were relatively natural, enabling smooth interaction with actor Wang Tianfang (王天放) during their on-stage dialogue.
In addition to this biomimetic humanoid, several of Songyan Dynamics’ previously released products also appeared during the program. The sub-RMB 10,000 humanoid robot “Xiao Bumi” played the role of a “grandson,” performing street dance routines and interacting backstage. The N2 model—nicknamed “Little Kid Bro”—which previously placed second in last year’s humanoid robot half-marathon competition, executed consecutive backflips on stage. Another model, E1, demonstrated a retractable structural design. The concentrated showcase of multiple models positioned Songyan Dynamics prominently among robotics companies that evening.
It is reported that both the management and technical teams at Songyan Dynamics are primarily composed of individuals born after 1995. With an average age under 30, this young team has driven rapid technological iteration and adopted a dual-track strategy centered on “bipedal locomotion + biomimetic interaction.”
In October 2023, the company completed the full process—from conceptual design to manufacturing—of its first humanoid robot in just 43 days. Since then, product iteration has maintained a rapid cadence. For the 2026 Spring Festival Gala project, for example, the team conducted 21 rounds of dance training for “Xiao Bumi” within one month, while simultaneously implementing hardware-level constraints and optimizations tailored to stage requirements. The engineering focus was primarily on lower-limb motion stability and lightweight structural design.
According to the company, biomimetic capability represents a long-term strategic direction for humanoid robotics. “In the long run, humanoid robots must deliver strong interaction and emotional resonance. From an industry development perspective, biomimetic humanoids will be a critical component,” the company stated in an interview. At present, Songyan Dynamics reports having achieved multiple industry-leading breakthroughs in biomimetic technologies and holds more than 30 related patents.
Industrial Capital Fuels Consumer Robotics Expansion
2026 is widely regarded as a pivotal year for the commercialization of humanoid robots. The industry is accelerating its transition from laboratory innovation to market deployment, and the investment logic in capital markets is evolving accordingly.
Recently, Zibianliang Robotics (自变量机器人) announced a new financing round totaling several hundred million RMB, led by SAIC Financial Holdings (上汽金控) and CICC SAIC Fund (中金上汽基金)—both major industrial investors. Similarly, Songyan Dynamics (松延动力)’s latest round was led by Chendao Capital (晨道资本), the industrial investment arm affiliated with CATL (宁德时代).
Chendao Capital has long focused on clean energy and intelligent manufacturing. Its participation signals more than financial backing; it brings upstream and downstream industrial coordination resources, facilitating deeper integration between robotics technology and manufacturing ecosystems. Compared with earlier phases dominated by financial investors, the concentrated entry of industrial capital is viewed as a marker that the humanoid robotics sector is entering a new development cycle.
On the market side, shifts are equally visible. Companies such as Songyan Dynamics (松延动力), Galbot (银河通用机器人), Unitree Robotics (宇树科技), and MagicLab (魔法原子机器人公司) all appeared at the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, reflecting broader ambitions to explore consumer-facing markets.
Since early 2026, product launches in the consumer robotics segment have increased noticeably. Applications now span yard maintenance, community delivery, elderly care, and security patrol. Ninebot (九号公司) introduced the AI-powered Navimow X2 lawn-mowing robot with multi-unit collaboration capability. UBTECH (优必选) launched a home version of Walker X with a pre-sale price of RMB 498,000. Roborock (石头科技) began testing its “Little White Sheep” delivery robot in select communities. Meanwhile, international players such as Amazon (亚马逊) and Panasonic (松下) continue to expand their robotics initiatives, further fueling the “robot + scenario” discussion.
Within this context, Songyan Dynamics has adopted a tiered market strategy. Well-funded top universities and elite secondary schools have become priority targets for many robotics vendors. However, county-level schools, vocational institutions, and ordinary universities—more price-sensitive segments—have historically remained hesitant due to high product costs.
Last year, the RMB 9,998 pricing of “Xiao Bumi” generated significant industry attention. Founder Jiang Zheyuan (姜哲源) explained that the pricing logic was designed to match the purchasing power of these mid- and lower-tier educational institutions. “They may not afford robots priced at tens of thousands of RMB, but a product around RMB 10,000 is within reach—especially for STEM exposure and experiential learning,” he noted.
Jiang argues that while thousands of top-tier schools represent a competitive red-ocean market, a much larger segment of county-level and vocational institutions has long been excluded by high price barriers. In his view, lowering the threshold is not about price competition but about scale and accessibility.
“Price is a means, not an end. We’re not being inexpensive for the sake of it. The goal is scale and adoption. The shared mission across the industry should be to drive broader access to robotics technology—that’s what truly matters,” he said.