Unitree Robotics, the Chinese humanoid robot maker famous for its viral backflipping robots, saw its stock surge as much as 629% on its first day of trading on the Shanghai STAR Market, closing at approximately 1,100 yuan per share. The IPO raised 6.1 billion yuan, or approximately $905 million, valuing the company at roughly $53 billion.
The debut made Unitree one of the hottest IPOs in the Chinese market this year. The stock price at IPO was set at 150.8 yuan per share, and the first-day surge pushed its peak valuation well above what most analysts had anticipated. The massive first-day gain reflects enormous investor enthusiasm for the humanoid robotics sector.
Unitree has become the face of China humanoid robotics push. The company sells a range of products including the G1 humanoid robot, priced at approximately $13,500, the R1 starting from $4,900, the Go2 robot dog at $1,600 to $4,500, and the H1 at around $90,000. Its products have gained worldwide attention through viral social media videos showing robots performing backflips, dancing, and navigating complex terrain.
The company positioning sits at the intersection of several major AI and automation trends. Humanoid robots are increasingly seen as a key application of advances in large language models, computer vision, and motor control. Major tech companies including Tesla with Optimus, Figure AI, and Agility Robotics are all investing heavily in the space.
Unitree IPO comes at a time when Chinese markets are experiencing renewed investor interest in technology stocks, particularly in areas aligned with government priorities around advanced manufacturing and AI. The STAR Market, launched in 2019, has become the preferred listing venue for high-tech Chinese companies.
