Chinese humanoid robotics startups have outpaced their U.S. counterparts in shipping robots to factories and malls, marking a significant shift in the global robotics landscape. While U.S. companies such as Figure and Apptronik command higher valuations—Figure at a minimum of $39 billion and Apptronik at $5 billion as of February—Chinese startup Galbot, with a valuation exceeding $3 billion, is the highest-valued privately-held Chinese company in the sector. Galbot's investors hail from China, Singapore, and the Middle East, with no U.S. backers reported [1].
AI2 Robotics, another Chinese private company, has achieved a 20 billion yuan ($2.93 billion) valuation, according to CEO Eric Guo. AI2's robots have been selected by a large foreign high-end manufacturer over a U.S. competitor for factory deployment and are also being rolled out in Chinese airports and factories in the semiconductor and healthcare sectors [1]. Guo emphasized that commercialization and technological capability are not mutually exclusive, predicting that U.S. investors may soon recognize this investment thesis, potentially positioning China advantageously in the near future [1].
In 2025, Chinese humanoid startups secured the top six spots in Omdia's global robot shipment rankings. Figure and Tesla were the only U.S. companies to make the top 10, with Tesla's Optimus still largely in development, while Figure's robot made a public appearance at a White House event in March [1]. The valuation gap between U.S. and Chinese companies is attributed to differing investor perceptions: U.S. startups are valued as broad artificial intelligence platforms, whereas Chinese firms are seen as industrial hardware providers, according to Rui Ma of Tech Buzz China [1].
Geopolitical tensions and national security policies have cooled cross-border investments, leading large U.S. pension funds to reduce exposure to Chinese startups. This has created opportunities for Middle East funds, which have increased their backing of Chinese venture capital and purchased locally developed robots as Gulf countries seek to diversify away from fossil fuels. These funds are noted for their flexibility in navigating both markets [1].
CONCLUSION
China's lead in humanoid robot shipments and real-world deployments signals a shift in the robotics industry, with U.S. investors potentially missing out due to geopolitical and valuation dynamics. The growing involvement of Middle East funds underscores the changing landscape of global robotics investment.