In 2025, the humanoid robot sector is completely “boiling”!
On October 20, Yushu Technology’s next-generation bionic humanoid robot, Unitree H2, made its debut—standing 180 cm tall and weighing 70 kg, its appearance rivals that of a “real-life replica” from a sci-fi movie. Its agility and stability have significantly improved compared to previous generations, and the newly added bionic face enhances its technological appeal, instantly igniting excitement across the internet. This is not an isolated case: Tiangong Robotics’ all-electric model won the 100-meter championship at the World Robot Sports Competition, Kepler launched the world’s first commercially available hybrid humanoid robot, and giants like Xiaomi, UBTECH, and iFlytek are all stepping up, with over 20 domestic models covering education, industry, and home applications. Chinese humanoid robots are evolving at an “accelerated” pace.
The capital market has already sensed the opportunity. From January to August this year, the domestic humanoid robot sector attracted 127 rounds of financing, totaling an impressive 36.436 billion yuan, far exceeding the total for all of 2024; 13 companies in the supply chain are rushing to go public, with Yushu Technology’s valuation surpassing 12 billion yuan, aiming for an IPO in the fourth quarter. Goldman Sachs even predicts that the global market size will reach 154 billion dollars by 2035, and the sci-fi scenario of “10 billion units demand” mentioned by Musk seems to be approaching.
What gives the Chinese contingent such confidence? A complete supply chain has significantly reduced manufacturing costs, and the “Made in China 2025” policy continues to strengthen. Breakthroughs in AI algorithms in voice and vision have made robot interactions increasingly natural. UBTECH’s Walker excels in home services, the Yushu H series focuses on high dynamic balance, and Datar Technology leverages 5G for cloud control, establishing a differentiated competitive landscape.
However, behind the celebration, the industry is still struggling in a “tale of two cities”. UBTECH’s revenue grew by 27.5% in the first half of the year but still incurred a loss of 440 million yuan, with only 10 robots delivered for the entire year of 2024; companies like Siasun and Hechuan Technology are also facing losses, and their mass production capabilities are under scrutiny. Looking globally, Boston Dynamics leads in technology but has stagnated in commercialization, SoftBank’s Pepper robot has quietly ceased production, and France’s Aldebaran has gone bankrupt due to losses, with “great acclaim but poor sales” becoming a curse for the entire industry.
The core issue is clear: key components such as high-precision sensors and motor controls rely on imports, and there is insufficient investment in basic research and development; application scenarios are limited, market demand has not been fully released, and user willingness to pay varies widely, making it difficult for companies to achieve profitability through scale. The trillion-dollar blue ocean is within reach, yet separated by the dual chasms of technological breakthroughs and commercial realization.