- The fresh capital will fund the expansion of robot dog production and offline retail networks, while kickstarting the development of new full-size humanoid robots.
- Vbot plans to boost its production capacity to over 2,500 units in June.
Chinese embodied AI startup Vbot announced the completion of a Pre-A funding round of nearly 500 million yuan ($73 million), marking another massive financing deal in the sector.
The round was co-led by Oriental Fortune Capital, Huatai Zijin Investment, and Fosun RZ Capital, with participation from institutions including SAIC Motor's Shangqi Capital, according to a statement on Monday.
The new funds will primarily be used for mass production, the construction of offline sales networks, and the research and development of next-generation humanoid robots.
The company's core objective for the next phase is to initiate the hardware development of full-size humanoid robots and build a world model covering general manipulation and mobility capabilities.
Founded in December 2024, Vbot focuses on AI technology research and development as well as the mass production of robot hardware.
Alongside the new funding, the company has started deliveries of its first product, a super robot dog, with the first batch of 500 units already mass-produced and currently shipping.
The company plans to increase its production capacity to more than 2,500 units in June to accelerate fulfilling pre-orders and further expand its market share, according to Vbot.
To support the production expansion, Vbot is accelerating the roll-out of its offline retail network, with its first batch of experience stores in Shanghai and Beijing now officially open.
By the end of June, the company's authorized experience stores are expected to cover more than 10 provinces and municipalities nationwide, with plans to enter retail spaces such as JD Mall and Sam's Club, Vbot said.
Vbot founder and CEO Yu Yinan said that mass production and delivery are just the starting point, noting that robots need to continuously integrate into real-life user scenarios.
($1 = 6.8000 yuan)
