TECH

Chinese Robotics Startups Push Into Europe as Industry Seeks Scale

Published: Mar. 10, 2026 12:06 a.m. GMT+8

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A humanoid robot developed by Agibot dances during the second day of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2026. Photo: VCG

Chinese robotics startups are pushing into Europe to secure partners, build distribution networks and gather real‑world data needed to advance embodied artificial intelligence.

Companies including Unitree Robotics, Agibot and Magiclab showcased humanoid and quadruped robots at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as they seek early footholds in overseas markets.

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Chinese robotics startups like Unitree, Agibot, and Magiclab are expanding into Europe to build partnerships and collect real-world data for embodied AI.
The global robotics industry remains nascent, with about 13,000 robots produced in 2024 (Agibot: over 5,000 units), and output projected to reach 2–3 million units in the next decade.
Major challenges include limited operational data, manufacturing capacity, and engineering talent, alongside regulatory and technical hurdles for wide-scale robotic deployment.

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Who’s Who

Unitree Robotics: Unitree Robotics is a Chinese robotics startup that showcased its products at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The company is actively expanding into European markets to secure partnerships, establish distribution networks, and gather crucial real-world data to advance embodied artificial intelligence. This early international expansion is key to building application ecosystems and enabling large-scale breakthroughs in the nascent global robotics sector.

Agibot: Agibot is a Chinese robotics company making inroads into the European market. They aim to build a local partner ecosystem for application development rather than focusing solely on hardware sales. Agibot initiated its European team in late 2025 and has about 10 employees across the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. They produced over 5,000 robots last year, contributing significantly to the nascent global robotics sector.

Magiclab: Magiclab, a Chinese robotics company, is expanding its operations in Europe after entering the market last year. It sells robots primarily to research institutions and solution providers through agency channels. Some of Magiclab's orders for robots have reached 100 units. The company is actively building distribution networks in both Europe and North America.

Qualcomm Technologies Inc.: Nakul Duggal, an executive vice president at Qualcomm Technologies Inc., (高通公司) highlights that robotic manipulation, unlike autonomous driving, demands complex coordination systems trained on extensive datasets. He advises companies to pinpoint applications for tens of thousands of robots in labor-intensive industries, not high-risk environments, and ensure stable operations in one setting before expanding.

Microsoft Corp.: Microsoft Corp. is a company mentioned in the article. Kevin Shatzkamer, a vice president at Microsoft Corp., stated that robots need to move out of controlled laboratories and into real-world environments to rapidly accumulate operational knowledge. He also noted that fundamental questions remain, such as how robots should be authorized to operate and what their operational boundaries should be.

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