China’s backflipping robot maker Unitree closes 460% higher in Shanghai debut

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 10, 2026

Unitree Robotics' shares surged over 460% during their Shanghai IPO, raising around $905 million and highlighting strong investor enthusiasm for the company's advanced humanoid and quadruped robots. This successful debut underscores growing market confidence in China's robotics industry, which is projected to expand substantially in the coming years, with Morgan Stanley forecasting the sector to reach $15 billion by 2030.

Shares of Unitree Robotics surged more than 460% in their Shanghai debut on Wednesday, marking one of the most notable initial public offerings (IPOs) in the Chinese robotics sector this year. The Hangzhou-based company raised approximately 6.1 billion yuan ($905 million) through the offering as investors responded enthusiastically to the firm’s innovative humanoid and quadruped robot technologies.

Unitree’s shares initially jumped nearly 630% before settling to close at 845 yuan, reflecting significant investor interest in the company’s unique product lineup. The robotics maker is known globally for its backflipping and dancing robots, which have garnered attention for their agility and advanced motion capabilities.

The company’s portfolio includes bipedal humanoid robots capable of walking and handling objects with dexterous hands, as well as four-legged robots designed for specialized applications such as hazard detection. Just days before the IPO, Unitree unveiled a new humanoid robot called "Superman," which it said can leap two meters from a standing position and reach speeds of up to 12.66 meters per second.

Unitree’s IPO attracted notable backing from Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek, which invested roughly 140.8 million yuan according to company filings. Existing shareholders include Tencent, one of China’s largest technology companies, further underscoring the company's strong ties to the country’s tech ecosystem.

Unitree joins other high-profile Chinese tech firms on Shanghai’s STAR Market, which has seen a surge in interest from investors seeking exposure to emerging technologies. Last month, memory chipmaker CXMT also experienced a significant debut, with shares climbing 466% in their first day of trading.

Market analysts remain optimistic about the growth prospects for humanoid robots in China. In June, investment bank Morgan Stanley raised its forecast for China’s humanoid robot shipments in 2023 to 50,000 units, nearly doubling its earlier estimate of 28,000. The bank projects the domestic humanoid robotics market will expand from $2 billion this year to $15 billion by 2030, driven by broader adoption beyond pilot projects anticipated to begin later this year.

Morgan Stanley also anticipates that full-size humanoid robots will make up around 30% of shipments this year, with that share increasing to 70% by 2028 as deployments scale up across various industries. Unitree’s strong market debut and innovative product developments position it as a significant player in this rapidly growing sector.

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