TECH

Robot Era Raises Over $200 Million as Humanoid Robot Race Heats Up

Published: Apr. 27, 2026 9:43 p.m. GMT+8

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Humanoid robots from Robot Era at the World Robot Conference in Beijing on Aug. 11, 2025. Photo: VCG

Chinese humanoid-robot startup Robot Era has raised more than $200 million in a new funding round led by SF Express, as investors pour capital into robotics companies beginning to deploy machines in real-world commercial settings.

The investment comes just weeks after Robot Era said March 5 that it had secured 1 billion yuan ($146 million) in strategic financing, pushing its valuation above 10 billion yuan.

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Robot Era raised >$200M led by SF Express, after 1B yuan ($146M) round in March, valuation >10B yuan.
Deployed robots in >10 logistics centers with 85% human efficiency; Q2 2026 deliveries planned.
Chinese robotics sector sees surging funding (~1B yuan rounds since 2026), high valuations (>10B yuan), small-scale deployments.

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Who’s Who

Robot Era: Robot Era, a Chinese humanoid-robot startup, raised over $200M led by SF Express, after $146M in March (valuation >$1.4B). Deployed robots in 10+ logistics centers with SF Express/China Post, hitting 85% human efficiency. Thousands of units to deliver Q2 2026. In-house hardware; co-launched AI tools with Stanford. (62 words)

SF Express: SF Express led Robot Era's $200M+ funding round and partnered to deploy humanoid robots in over 10 logistics centers across China, achieving 85% human efficiency.

HongShan Capital Group: HongShan Capital Group is an equity investor and backer in Robot Era's latest funding round, which raised over $200 million led by SF Express.

IDG Capital: IDG Capital is an equity investor in Robot Era's latest funding round exceeding $200 million, led by SF Express. This follows the startup's prior 1 billion yuan ($146 million) raise, with deployments in logistics centers advancing commercialization.

CICC Capital: CICC Capital is an equity investor and backer in Robot Era's latest funding round, which raised over $200 million led by SF Express.

Kengic Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd.: Kengic Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd. is an equity investor and industrial partner in Robot Era's latest funding round, which raised over $200 million led by SF Express. (24 words)

Qingkong Tiancheng Asset Management: Qingkong Tiancheng Asset Management is an existing shareholder in Robot Era that increased its stake in the latest funding round, led by SF Express and raising over $200 million.

Shenzhen Hongruida Information Technology Co. Ltd.: Shenzhen Hongruida Information Technology Co. Ltd. is an existing shareholder of Robot Era that increased its stakes in the latest funding round led by SF Express.

Hillhouse Investment: Hillhouse Investment is an existing investor in Chinese humanoid-robot startup Robot Era, part of its sizable roster of backers alongside CDH VGC Fund, Gaocheng Capital, Alibaba, and Geely Capital.

CDH VGC Fund: CDH VGC Fund is an existing investor in Robot Era, part of the company's sizable roster of backers alongside Hillhouse Investment, Gaocheng Capital, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., and Geely Capital.

Gaocheng Capital: Gaocheng Capital is an existing investor in Robot Era, part of the company's sizable roster of backers alongside Hillhouse Investment, CDH VGC Fund, Alibaba, and Geely Capital.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is an existing investor in Robot Era, part of the company's sizable roster of backers alongside Hillhouse Investment, CDH VGC Fund, Gaocheng Capital, and Geely Capital.

Geely Capital: Geely Capital is an existing investor in Robot Era, part of the company's sizable roster of backers alongside Hillhouse Investment, CDH VGC Fund, Gaocheng Capital, and Alibaba.

Physical Intelligence: Physical Intelligence is a prominent U.S. robotics company founded by Chelsea Finn. A Stanford team led by Finn co-launched Robot Era's data simulator Ctrl-World (Dec 2025) and VLAW robot model (Jan 2026).

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd.: Spirit AI deployed its Xiaomo humanoid robot for battery testing at a Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. facility in December 2025.

Longcheer Technology: Agibot broadcast live footage of its robots working on a Longcheer Technology production line on April 14. (22 words)

Agibot: Agibot broadcast live footage of its robots working on a Longcheer Technology production line on April 14. It has deployed only a handful of units in factories, marking small-scale commercialization in China's robotics sector.

X Square Robot: X Square Robot announced on April 21 that its robots would enter real homes by end of May, with registrations opened for home trials. Since 2026, it closed one or two funding rounds of ~1 billion yuan, achieving valuation >10 billion yuan. (42 words)

Spirit AI: Spirit AI (灵脑科技) deployed its Xiaomo humanoid robot for battery testing at a CATL facility in December 2025, with only a handful of units in factories. It closed 1-2 funding rounds of ~1B yuan since early 2026, achieving a valuation >10B yuan, and restructured shares for a potential IPO.

Pacini Robotics: Pacini Robotics closed one or two funding rounds of ~1 billion yuan since early 2026. Its valuation exceeds 10 billion yuan and has undergone shareholding restructuring for potential IPO.

LimX Dynamics: LimX Dynamics has closed one or two funding rounds of around 1 billion yuan since the start of 2026, amid accelerating investments in China's robotics sector.

Leju Robotics: Leju Robotics has closed one or two funding rounds of around 1 billion yuan since the start of 2026, amid accelerating investments in China's robotics sector.

EngineAI Robotics: EngineAI Robotics closed one or two funding rounds of around 1 billion yuan since the start of 2026, amid accelerating investments in China's robotics sector.

Galbot: Galbot has closed one or two funding rounds of around 1 billion yuan since the start of 2026. Its valuation exceeds 20 billion yuan, and it has completed shareholding restructurings in preparation for an IPO.

AI² Robotics: AI² Robotics has closed one or two funding rounds of around 1 billion yuan since early 2026. Its valuation exceeds 10 billion yuan. The company has completed shareholding restructurings in preparation for a potential IPO.

Galaxea AI: Galaxea AI, a Chinese robotics company, is valued at more than 20 billion yuan. It has completed shareholding restructurings in preparation for a potential IPO, amid accelerating fundraising in the sector since early 2026.

AI generated, for reference only