Chinese robot maker Unitree debuts in Shanghai with 629% surge

Unitree Robotics, a leading Chinese manufacturer of humanoid robots, made a spectacular debut on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on August 19, 2026. The company's shares more than sevenfold (+629.44%) at the opening bell, reflecting immense investor confidence.

The initial public offering (IPO) raised the equivalent of about $904 million. Unitree offered 40.4 million shares on the STAR market, often referred to as China's 'Nasdaq,' which focuses on technology stocks. The opening price was 1,100 yuan ($163.12), a significant jump from the IPO unit price of 150.8 yuan ($22.36).

This successful IPO makes Unitree the first mainland Chinese company in the humanoid robot sector to go public, though UBTech Robotics listed in Hong Kong in 2023. Unitree's valuation now stands at approximately $9.04 billion. According to Value Add VC, this valuation positions Unitree as the third-largest player globally in the humanoid robotics field, trailing only U.S. companies 1X Technologies (backed by OpenAI) and Figure AI (supported by Nvidia and Microsoft).

The company has secured backing from major Chinese tech firms, including Tencent and DeepSeek, with Alibaba also being a shareholder. Unitree plans to allocate nearly half of the IPO funds to research and development for intelligent robot models, with additional investments in robotic bodies, new products, and a smart manufacturing center. Unitree has gained international recognition for its advanced humanoid robots, showcased through viral demonstrations of their dancing, acrobatics, and martial arts skills, notably during the Lunar New Year gala on state television. Recently, the company unveiled its 'Superman' model, capable of jumping two meters high and running at 12.66 meters per second, surpassing human records despite its short development time.