Domestic Embodied AI Sector Secures Over 200 Funding Rounds in Q1 2026, Averaging $460M Daily

In Q1 2026, China’s embodied intelligence sector recorded over 200 equity financing deals, raising a total of more than RMB 30 billion—averaging approximately RMB 330 million in daily capital inflows. In March alone, the segment covering embodied robot bodies and core components disclosed over 35 financing rounds; for the entire quarter, this sub-sector saw more than 80 deals, setting new historical highs in both deal count and funding volume. Large-scale financings were heavily concentrated among leading companies. During Q1, 16 deals exceeding RMB 1 billion each were disclosed: eight in March (involving Songyan Power, Galaxy General, Jijia Vision, Xingdong Era, Paxini, Guanglun Intelligence, Lingchu Intelligence, and Zhijian Power); six in February (including Zhubu Power, Lingxin Qiaoshou, Xinghaitu, Zhi Pingfang, Qianxun Intelligence, and Anhui Shenji); and two in January (from BrainCo and Zibianliang). By comparison, only six such large-scale deals occurred throughout all of 2025. Notably, several companies secured over RMB 1 billion in Series A rounds—such as Guanglun Intelligence, Lingchu Intelligence, and Zhijian Power—breaking the traditional venture capital norm where Series A rounds typically raise only hundreds of millions of RMB. Galaxy General closed a RMB 2.5 billion round in March, adding to its USD 300 million raised at the end of 2025, bringing its total funding to nearly RMB 5 billion within three months. Lingchu Intelligence and Zhijian Power also each raised RMB 2 billion in March. The investor landscape has shifted significantly, with national funds like the National Artificial Intelligence Industry Fund and China Development Bank Capital, alongside multiple regional state-owned investment platforms, emerging as key backers. Entities such as the Beijing Robotics Industry Fund, Wuxi Venture Capital, and Shenzhen Capital Group are driving regional development of new-quality productive capacity through systematic investments. Meanwhile, some investors, driven by "fear of missing out" (FOMO), have adopted a “better to overpay than miss out” strategy, accelerating valuation growth. Currently, more than ten domestic embodied intelligence companies boast valuations exceeding RMB 10 billion, with Galaxy General, Xinghaitu, and Qianxun Intelligence surpassing RMB 20 billion. As top-tier deals become increasingly inaccessible, some capital is shifting toward early-stage startups. Zhijian Power completed five funding rounds within half a year, amassing RMB 2 billion; early-stage ventures like Xinuo Future, Zhangyu Power, and RoboParty have also secured financing in the hundreds-of-millions range. On the commercialization front, Ubtech reported total revenue of RMB 2.001 billion in 2025, up 53.3% year-over-year. Full-size humanoid robots contributed RMB 821 million (41.1% of total revenue), with 1,079 units sold—a staggering 35,866.7% YoY increase. Unitree Robotics achieved RMB 1.708 billion in 2025 revenue (up 335% YoY) and RMB 600 million in non-GAAP net profit, shipping over 5,500 humanoid units, which accounted for 51.53% of its revenue. Dobot’s embodied intelligence product line generated approximately RMB 20 million in revenue, surging 418.8% YoY. Upstream supply chain players are also benefiting. Black Sesame Intelligent reported RMB 96.3 million in embodied intelligence revenue in 2025, with a gross margin of 48.7%. RoboSense sold 303,000 LiDAR units for robotics applications, generating RMB 709 million in robotics-related revenue and a 39.7% gross margin. Tuopu Group’s robotic actuator business brought in RMB 13.59 million with a 28.25% gross margin. Lens Technology shipped over 10,000 robots in 2025, exceeding RMB 1 billion in revenue. Although some companies have already achieved product delivery and revenue generation, the industry as a whole remains in a phase of losses or minimal profitability. In 2026, competitive focus is shifting from fundraising prowess to supply chain management, cost control, and customer retention. The market expects humanoid robot shipments to grow from over 10,000 units in 2025 to tens of thousands in 2026.