Ant Group, an Alibaba affiliate and operator of the Alipay mobile payments app, has led a 500 million yuan ($73.58 million) funding round in humanoid robotics company Zeroth, marking its 12th investment in the sector since the beginning of 2025 according to CNBC analysis of PitchBook data [1]. The investments span a range of companies, including humanoid robotics firms Galaxea and Unitree, as well as parts and software start-ups such as Linkerbot, Hypershell, and Genrobot AI [1]. Other participants in Zeroth's latest funding round include Monolith, Geely Capital, 37 Interactive Entertainment, and Hua Capital, bringing Zeroth's total funds raised to 1 billion yuan [1].
Zeroth Robotics, also known as Suzhou JoyIn Intelligent Technology, was founded in late 2024 and is focusing on a phased approach to humanoid robots for the home, starting with companionship robots for elderly and pet care, followed by robots for children's education [1]. The company's founder, Guo Renjie, stated that Zeroth has received orders for more than 30,000 units and reported a 600% year-on-year surge in operating revenue for the first half of the year [1]. Zeroth's robots currently use chips from Horizon Robotics, and the company plans to begin overseas sales in North America and Europe this fall, pending local compliance [1].
Ant Group has also established its own humanoid robot subsidiary, RobbyAnt, which has developed its own robot, and released an AI and robotics-friendly version of Alipay, an area where Zeroth has expressed interest in collaborating [1]. The surge in Ant Group's robotics investments comes amid growing interest in humanoid robots in China, with Nvidia recently announcing recruitment for robotics roles in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen [1].
CONCLUSION
Ant Group's aggressive investment in humanoid robotics, highlighted by the $73.58 million Zeroth funding round, signals a strong commitment to the sector and reflects growing market momentum in China. Zeroth's rapid revenue growth and expansion plans underscore the sector's potential, while Ant's integration of AI and robotics into its core services may further accelerate adoption.