Unitree Shares Surge in Stock Market Debut

Chinese robot vendor Unitree made an impressive entry into the Chinese stock market, with shares surging more than 600% on Wednesday.The company raised about $905 million in its IPO, according to its prospectus. The round was oversubscribed more than 8,000 times, a record for the tech-focused Shanghai Stock Exchange STAR Market.Chinese AI vendor DeepSeek was listed as an investor in a company filing, contributing about $20.8 million to the IPO. It joins existing investor Tencent, the Chinese tech giant.Hangzhou-based Unitree has gained global attention with its highly mobile androids, with videos showing them backflipping, performing martial arts and dancing.Ahead of the IPO, Unitree launched its latest humanoid model. Dubbed “Superman,” the new design is touted for its speed and mobility, capable of jumping more than 6 feet from a standing position and running at up to 28 mph.In a post on X, Unitree said the android “surpass[es] the standing high jump and running speed records of all humans around the world.”Related:LG to Release Nvidia-Powered Humanoid in 2027China has long dominated the humanoid robotics market, with the sector identified as a key growth market by the Beijing government. Chinese firms make up the vast majority of global sales, outpacing their American competitors, including Boston Dynamics and Tesla.The trend is set to continue, with Chinese humanoid robot output forecast to grow 94% in 2026. Unitree and robot maker Agibot together are expected to account for nearly 80% of these shipments.Intensifying competition with the U.S. market came to a head earlier this month, when the FCC banned imports of foreign-made robots, a move that has been met with criticism from Beijing as a protectionist strategy.About the AuthorContributing WriterScarlett Evans is a freelance writer with a focus on emerging technologies and the minerals industry. Previously, she served as assistant editor at IoT World Today, where she specialized in robotics and smart city technologies. Scarlett also has a background in the mining and resources sector, with experience at Mine Australia, Mine Technology and Power Technology. She joined Informa in April 2022 before transitioning to freelance work.