Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent")
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
Unitree Robotics is preparing a landmark $9 billion IPO backed by DeepSeek, Tencent and state investors. The profitable humanoid robot maker could set the valuation benchmark for China's booming embodied AI industry as investors bet on the next wave of artificial intelligence.
China's humanoid robotics industry is about to face its biggest market test yet. Unitree Robotics, one of the country's best-known robot makers, is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) that values the company at 60.99 billion yuan (about $9 billion). The listing is being closely watched because it could set the benchmark for how investors value the next generation of AI-powered robotics firms. The Hangzhou-based company plans to raise 6.1 billion yuan by selling 40.45 million shares on Shanghai's STAR Market. The IPO has attracted heavyweight investors including DeepSeek, Tencent, China Telecom, Citic Securities and several state-backed institutions.
Why Unitree's IPO matters
The listing is widely seen as mainland China's first major humanoid robotics IPO. Analysts believe it could become the reference point for dozens of robotics startups preparing to go public. DeepSeek invested 141 million yuan in the company under a three-year lock-up agreement. The two companies also plan to jointly develop AI models and embodied intelligence technologies while giving each other priority access to AI services and robotics products. Industry experts say the valuation could effectively become the "ceiling" for many competing embodied AI startups unless they can demonstrate stronger commercial success.
A profitable robotics company in a crowded market
Unlike many robotics startups that are still burning cash, Unitree is already profitable. According to its prospectus, the company generated 1.7 billion yuan in revenue and 591 million yuan in adjusted net profit last year. Even so, investors are paying a premium. The IPO values Unitree at around 219 times earnings and nearly 36 times sales, significantly above several listed robotics rivals. The strong pricing reflects growing optimism that humanoid robots could become one of AI's next major commercial opportunities, following the rapid rise of generative AI.
Investor excitement meets valuation concerns
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Retail demand for the IPO remains strong despite concerns that valuations across China's robotics industry may be running ahead of fundamentals. Several startups including Deep Robotics, AgiBot, Leju Robotics, X Square Robot and LimX Dynamics are also preparing public listings as venture funding pours into embodied AI. Analysts say Unitree's success or failure could influence fundraising across the entire sector. While short-term enthusiasm remains high, many believe long-term valuations will ultimately depend on one factor: whether humanoid robots can move beyond demonstrations and achieve large-scale commercial adoption.
