Why China’s humanoid robot industry is winning the early market - TechCrunch
U.S. companies are moving beyond flashy demos as well to focus on real-world deployments. Plus, they are pursuing their own aggressive goals. U.S. startup Foundation, for instance, plans to build 50,000 humanoid robots by the end of 2027.
Key takeaways
Georgia Tech researchers unveiled a new “thinking” technology that markedly improves balance and agility in two‑legged robots, pushing humanoid walking stability forward. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Honor debuted its first consumer‑oriented humanoid robot, demonstrating a moonwalk, a backflip and a choreographed dance, and positioning the device for shopping assistance, workplace inspections and companionship. In the maritime sector, HD Hyundai Samho announced plans to roll out humanoid robots for low‑level tasks on its shipyards, with a broader deployment slated for 2027 after extensive employee AI training. Industry analysts continue to project explosive growth, with market forecasts ranging from a $40.85 billion valuation in 2025 to over $1 trillion by 2035, while Chinese firms such as UBTECH and Zhipu aim to mass‑produce millions of low‑cost units by 2026, driving the shift from prototype demonstrations to real‑world factory work.
U.S. companies are moving beyond flashy demos as well to focus on real-world deployments. Plus, they are pursuing their own aggressive goals. U.S. startup Foundation, for instance, plans to build 50,000 humanoid robots by the end of 2027.
But China is already targeting a mix of affordable mass-market models and high-end applications, rapidly expanding humanoids across industrial, consumer, and rehabilitation sectors, according to a December TrendForce report.
Bottlenecks to China’s dominance “Early momentum is likely to be in industrial manufacturing, warehouse logistics, and retail, where tasks are repetitive, hours are long, and processes are clear — creating real demand and ideal conditions for humanoid robots to deliver value at scale,” he said.
Other APAC players
Humanoid robot development is not a two-country race. Japan’s robotics ecosystem — from startups to semiconductor heavyweights — is targeting humanoid mass production by 2027. Long a pioneer through projects like Honda’s Asimo, Murata Manufacturing’s Murata Boy, and SoftBank Robotics’ Pepper, Japan leans on precision and advanced control. One area unique to this nation: Humanoid robots are increasingly used in eldercare. Coral Capital CEO James Riney, who invests in tech companies in Japan, believes Tokyo will continue to thrive in the humanoid robotics industry. “There are three factors likely to drive the adoption of robotics in Japan. One is the labor shortage and the desire to depend less on mass immigration. The second is the widespread cultural view of robots as our friends — more Doraemon vs. Terminator. The third is that Japan is already dominant in many parts of the robotics supply chain.”
Hyundai Motor’s Boston Dynamics unit introduced a new Atlas humanoid for factory use by 2028, with plans to produce up to 30,000 units annually in the U.S. as part of its AI-driven robotics push.
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