Alibaba Cloud Leads $140 Million Round for X Square in Embodied AI Push
00:00/00:00
Listen to this article
1x
Subscribe now
Listen to the full version
Listen to the full version
The Quanta 2 humanoid robot by X Square on display at the 2025 World Robot Conference in Beijing, Aug. 9, 2025. Photo: VCG
Chinese humanoid robot developer X Square Robot said Monday it has raised nearly 1 billion yuan ($140 million) in a funding round led by Alibaba Cloud, marking the Alibaba unit’s first foray into the fast-emerging field of embodied artificial intelligence.
Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., will offer “multifaceted support” to X Square, the Shenzhen-based startup said. Other investors include CAS Investment, China Development Bank Capital, and Hongshan Capital Group. Existing backers Meituan and Legend Capital also participated.
You've accessed an article available only to subscribers
VIEW OPTIONS
Unlock exclusive discounts with a Caixin group subscription — ideal for teams and organizations.
Subscribe to both Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal — for the price of one.
- RELATED
Share this article
Open WeChat and scan the QR code
- DIGEST HUB
Digest Hub
Back
Explore the story in 30 seconds
- X Square Robot, a Chinese humanoid robot startup, raised nearly 1 billion yuan ($140 million) in a round led by Alibaba Cloud, its first investment in embodied AI.
- The funding will support advanced AI model training and hardware development; X Square has launched two robot models and open-sourced an AI foundation model.
- Embodied AI investment is surging in China, with multiple startups securing large sums, but challenges include costly hardware and the need for extensive datasets.
AI generated, for reference only
Who’s Who
- X Square Robot
- X Square Robot is a Chinese developer of humanoid robots, founded in late 2023. It recently raised nearly 1 billion yuan ($140 million) in a funding round led by Alibaba Cloud. The company specializes in developing foundation models for robots and has launched two robot models, including the Quanta X2. X Square aims to use the fresh capital to further develop its hardware and train its embodied intelligence foundation models.
- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is mentioned as the parent company of Alibaba Cloud, which led a funding round for X Square Robot. This marks Alibaba Cloud's first venture into embodied artificial intelligence. Alibaba Cloud plans to provide "multifaceted support" to X Square.
- CAS Investment
- CAS Investment is one of the investors in X Square Robot's recent funding round, which raised nearly 1 billion yuan ($140 million). This investment supports X Square Robot, a Chinese humanoid robot developer, in advancing its embodied intelligence foundation models and hardware development. The funding round was led by Alibaba Cloud.
- China Development Bank Capital
- China Development Bank Capital is an investor in X Square Robot, a Chinese humanoid robot developer. They participated in a funding round that raised nearly 1 billion yuan ($140 million) for X Square Robot. This investment contributes to the development of embodied artificial intelligence.
- Hongshan Capital Group
- Hongshan Capital Group is an investor in X Square Robot, a Chinese humanoid robot developer. X Square Robot recently raised nearly 1 billion yuan ($140 million) in a funding round led by Alibaba Cloud. Hongshan Capital Group is one of several investors in this round.
- Meituan
- Meituan, a Chinese technology company, participated as an existing backer in a funding round for X Square Robot. They also led a previous Series A funding round for the humanoid robot developer. This investment highlights Meituan's involvement in the rapidly growing field of embodied artificial intelligence.
- Legend Capital
- Legend Capital, also known as 联想创投 (Lenovo Capital), is an existing investor in X Square Robot, a Chinese humanoid robot developer. They participated in earlier funding rounds for X Square Robot, contributing to the over 1 billion yuan raised by the company as of May.
- Lightspeed China Partners
- Lightspeed China Partners is an investor in X Square Robot, a Chinese humanoid robot developer. They led one of X Square Robot's earlier funding rounds, contributing to the company's "war chest" of over 1 billion yuan raised as of May across seven rounds.
- AI² Robotics
- AI² Robotics is a Chinese embodied intelligence company that, as of September 1st, announced its seventh funding round in six months. This rapid succession of investments highlights the significant interest and growth in China's embodied intelligence sector.
- UBTECH Robotics
- UBTECH Robotics is a Chinese company in the embodied intelligence sector. In August, it secured a $1 billion credit line from a Hong Kong investment firm. This indicates significant investment and activity within the Chinese robotics market.
- Booster Robotics
- Booster Robotics is a company in China's embodied intelligence sector that has secured multiple fundraises this year. This indicates a growing interest and investment in the development of sophisticated robotics within the region.
- TARS
- TARS is a robotics company in China's embodied intelligence sector. It has disclosed multiple fundraising rounds this year, indicating significant investor interest in its development within this rapidly growing field.
- Galaxea AI
- Galaxea AI is one of several companies in China's embodied intelligence sector that has secured multiple fundraising rounds this year. This activity highlights the increasing investment and rapid growth within the industry, which focuses on developing intelligent agents that can interact with and adapt to the physical world.
- LimX Dynamics
- LimX Dynamics is a Chinese embodied intelligence company. They have disclosed multiple fundraising rounds this year, indicating significant investment activity in the sector. This highlights the growing interest and capital flow into deep-tech startups focused on general-purpose robots in China.
- Unitree Robotics
- Unitree Robotics, a Chinese humanoid robot developer, is mentioned as being in the process of an IPO. This indicates their progress and significant presence in the burgeoning embodied intelligence sector in China.
- Agibot
- Agibot, a Chinese embodied AI firm, is mentioned as considering a backdoor listing. This suggests the company is looking for an alternative way to go public, bypassing a traditional initial public offering (IPO).
AI generated, for reference only
What Happened When
- Late 2023：
- X Square was founded.
- By May 2025：
- X Square had raised over 1 billion yuan across seven funding rounds.
- August 2025：
- X Square launched its Quanta X2, a dual-arm, wheeled humanoid robot.
- August 2025：
- UBTECH Robotics secured a $1 billion credit line from a Hong Kong investment firm.
- September 1, 2025：
- AI² Robotics announced its seventh funding round in six months.
AI generated, for reference only
- PODCAST
- MOST POPULAR
Sign in with Google
Sign in with Facebook
Sign in with 财新