Top 10 Chinese start-ups in AI, automation, and robotics

China Market Insider 10 Chinese Start-Ups You Should Know

2025-06-13 A guest post by Henrik Bork | Translated by AI 6 min Reading Time

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We present to you ten Chinese start-ups in the field of artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics that you should know about.

In our China Market Insider, we regularly provide you with relevant information directly from China.(Image: © Eisenhans - stock.adobe.com) — In our China Market Insider, we regularly provide you with relevant information directly from China.
(Image: © Eisenhans - stock.adobe.com)

The merging—also known as "conversion" in this context—of artificial intelligence and robotics is a new megatrend that will thoroughly change the manufacturing industry. China is on its way to leading this development. Enough reason to take a look at the ten "hottest" start-ups riding this new wave—and simultaneously driving it forward.

The following ten start-ups embody China's multifaceted push in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, and automation—from industrial systems (Mech-Mind, Flexiv) and humanoid service robots (Unitree, Agibot) to innovations in logistics (Inceptio).

They stand as examples of a dynamic ecosystem supported by the close integration of hardware and AI, growing funding, and strategic support from the government.

These are ten of the most exciting Chinese start-ups to watch in 2025 in the fields of AI, automation, and robotics—from industrial robots to humanoids, autonomous vehicles, and smart software:

1. Agile Robots

Headquarters: Munich and Beijing
Founded: 2018

At this German-Chinese start-up, one might argue at the outset whether it even belongs on this list. Agile Robots, founded in 2018, has headquarters in Munich and Beijing. It has developed into a heavyweight in the new "AI+" industry within a few years.

The increasingly vocal China critics in Germany want to see the company as a Chinese start-up, which they would prefer not to have in the country, referring to financially strong investors from China. So far, however, they have not been successful in their opposition.

The co-founder and CEO Chen Zhaopeng, on the other hand, emphasizes: "Our roots in Bavaria and the resulting connection to this ecosystem are decisive factors for our success." He is quoted as saying this by "Automationspraxis." The man has been living with his family in Bavaria for almost two decades.

The company is a spin-off of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and benefits from the highly agile research and innovation environment in Munich. Perhaps such multi-national roots can indeed be seen as a strength. In any case, it would be remiss not to mention Agile Robots in this context. Whether Chinese, German, or both, the company is one of the most interesting new players in this field.

With a recent revenue of 200 million euros (approx. 230 million USD), more than 2,300 employees (900 of them in Germany), and global manufacturing, Agile Robots is among the fastest-growing automation companies worldwide.

The robots are equipped with AI, capable of working in unstructured environments through "hand-eye coordination," and are used in applications such as smartphone assembly and medical applications.

Agile Robots has reportedly delivered over 10,000 automation solutions for global industry giants, according to the company. The list of investors includes Softbank, Foxconn, and Xiaomi. The stated mission is to "integrate AI comprehensively into manufacturing."

2. Unitree Robotics

Headquarters: Hangzhou
Founded: 2016

The company from Hangzhou is one of the stars of the Chinese robotics scene. With its humanoid model H1, Unitree recently made a splash at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. The company's robots run, dance, and box particularly gracefully. The whole world saw them during the Chinese Spring Festival TV gala.

Before long, however, the bipeds will mainly be increasingly involved in production, in factory halls around the world. The conversion into a joint-stock company has already been completed, and an initial public offering is currently being prepared.

The company has been "in the black for a long time, mainly thanks to our robot dogs," said Marketing Director Huang Jiawei to Tech in Asia. These quadrupeds can be sent through tunnels where they can autonomously perform repairs, for example.

Most recently, Unitree was valued at approximately 1.3 to 1.95 billion euros (approx. 1.4 to 2.2 billion USD).

3. Agibot (Zhiyuan Robotics)

Headquarters: Shanghai
Founded: 2023

Founded in 2023, the start-up in Shanghai has set standards within a few months. In a production hall provided by the city, more than 15 humanoid robots are manufactured daily, learning tasks such as making coffee, setting tables, or packing in cafés, living rooms, or logistics centers. Agibot relies on "embodied AI" and its own language models to enable its robots to exhibit flexible, as human-like behavior as possible.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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"Even pouring a glass of water requires almost a hundred high-quality datasets," says Yao Maoqing, president of the company's Embodied Intelligence division, to Reuters. However, the potential applications are just as diverse. "Imagine," says Agibot partner Yao Maoqing, "that one day our robots will assemble themselves in our own robot factory."

4. Mech-Mind Robotics

Headquarters: Beijing
Founded: 2016

The pioneer of 3D industrial cameras and AI software from Beijing is already present in over 50 countries with more than 15,000 installations worldwide. "We want to build machines that can see, plan, and act like humans," said founder Shao Tianlan to "36kr."

He studied computer science in China at the prestigious Tsinghua University and then additionally obtained a degree at the Technical University of Munich as a "Master of Science in Computer Science."

Mech-Mind relies on modular software platforms with plug-and-play functionality and is currently introducing a multimodal LLM called Mech-GPT. Customers come from the automotive and electronics industries, as well as the photovoltaic sector.

5. Engine AI

Headquarters: Shenzhen
Founded: 2023

This young start-up from Shenzhen aims to train humanoid robots through imitation. In a recent video, a robot dances the Axe Gang choreography from the movie "Kung Fu Hustle." During their training, the company's robots are instructed by a real dancer.

"I hope China will be at the forefront with robots," said founder Zhao Tongyang in an interview with "Bloomberg." Engine AI is among the leading players in a new race focused on adaptive machines in industry, healthcare, and security.

The bipeds from Engine AI are not only learning to imitate human movements but are also expected, with the help of AI, to independently master all possible tasks in the next step.