Unitree's humanoid robots have been at the centre of a huge marketing push
The world's biggest humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics made its stock market debut in Shanghai on Wednesday, with its shares soaring by more than 600%.
In the highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO), the Chinese firm's shares opened at 1,100 yuan (£120.60; $163.12), well above the 150.8 yuan offer price.
The listing on the tech-focused Star Market – which is widely known as China's Nasdaq – marks a milestone for Beijing's ambitious plans for the country's robotics industry.
It comes as the US and China are locked in a battle to dominate the global market for robots and artificial intelligence (AI) models that power them.
Unitree's debut marks the first humanoid robot maker to be listed in mainland China.
Robots like automated industrial equipment and smart vacuum cleaners are already widely used in factories, warehouses and homes.
Now, the humanoid robotics industry is attracting huge amounts of investment as major companies – including Tesla, BYD and Amazon – are developing two-legged machines capable of performing tasks usually carried out by people.
Unitree, officially known as Yushu Technology Co Ltd, was founded in 2016.
It has become a robotics industry leader, selling a wide range of devices from sensors and automated arms to four-legged and human-like machines.
The firm shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots last year as demand for the technology grows.
Unitree is one of the few companies in the sector to make money, delivering a net profit of 278 million yuan in 2025.
It is a fierce rival to developers in the US as it produces robots with similar features but at lower prices.
The company – which plays a key role in Beijing's ambitions to be a global leader in cutting-edge technologies – is based in Hangzhou, in eastern China.
The region is home to a so-called golden cluster zone of robotics firms, which have been boosted by huge government investments.