Key facts
- Unitree Robotics will debut on Shanghai's STAR Market.
- The IPO price is set at 150.8 yuan per share.
- The company's valuation is approximately 61 billion yuan ($9.04 billion).
- Unitree aims to raise about 6.1 billion yuan ($904 million).
- AI firm DeepSeek is a strategic investor in the IPO.
Unitree Robotics is set to list on Shanghai's STAR Market, pricing its initial public offering at 150.8 yuan per share, which values the company at approximately 61 billion yuan ($9.04 billion). The IPO, with public subscription opening on August 10, is considered a significant moment for China's humanoid robotics industry and is expected to serve as a benchmark for the sector.
The company plans to raise about 6.1 billion yuan ($904 million) by issuing 40.45 million new shares. These funds are earmarked for robotics research and development, product development, and manufacturing expansion. This move marks Unitree's transition from a startup known for its agile quadruped and humanoid robots to a publicly traded entity.
A notable strategic investor in the IPO is Chinese AI company DeepSeek, which invested approximately 140.8 million yuan ($20.8 million) for a 2.31% stake. The partnership between Unitree and DeepSeek aims to foster collaboration on AI models and embodied-intelligence technologies, highlighting the critical role of AI in advancing humanoid robot capabilities.
Industry sources suggest that Unitree's debut could influence the pricing of 30 to 50 other robotics companies preparing for listings. The valuation surpasses earlier estimates from Citic Securities, which had projected a post-listing value between 50.6 billion and 55.9 billion yuan. The final pricing offers a clearer indication of market appetite for China's robotics sector, particularly in the realm of physical AI.