Chinese humanoid robot unicorn Dataa Robotics in turmoil despite fresh partn...

by Li Kefeng

Dataa Robotics, a once high-flying Chinese robotics unicorn, is facing a full-blown operational crisis, with reports emerging that its headquarters have been vacated just weeks after it inked a strategic partnership.

The Beijing-based company, known for its cloud-powered humanoid robots, signed a cooperation framework with Xiamen Solex Robotics—an arm of Shanghai-listed Xiamen Solex High-Tech Industries—on March 17. Executives from both firms attended a signing ceremony in Xiamen. But by the end of March, multiple media outlets reported that Dataa Robotics' office had been emptied, with no staff in sight.

Founded in 2015 by telecom veteran Huang Xiaoqing, Dataa Robotics once raised more than 5.4 billion yuan (US$745 million) from major backers including SoftBank, Foxconn and others. It claims more than 2,000 patent filings, and leads globally in cloud robotics patents. Its signature approach combines cloud-based AI, 5G connectivity and humanoid terminals, and the firm had piloted applications in healthcare, education and smart city scenarios.

In 2023, China’s Ministry of Science and Technology approved Dataa Robotics to build a national open innovation platform for next-generation AI in cloud robotics. Huang was also awarded the prestigious Magnolia Memorial Award in Shanghai.

However, since early 2024, the company has reportedly delayed salaries and laid off staff. Employees told local media that wages above 10,000 yuan were paid in halves before being halted entirely, along with social security contributions. Some signed deferred payment agreements but have received nothing. According to business data platform Tianyancha, Dataa Robotics was hit with a 21.76 million yuan enforcement order on March 24 and is now embroiled in over 20 lawsuits, mostly related to supply chain disputes and IP issues.

The company’s humanoid robot ambitions have run into cost barriers. Flexible joints account for more than 60% of a robot's cost, with its GingerXR model priced at over 200,000 yuan—too high for consumer adoption. While Dataa Robotics claimed partnerships with over 300 institutions to build a shared skill model library, developer engagement has been low and the ecosystem lags behind rivals like UBTech and Unitree.

Much of Dataa Robotics’'past revenue came from government and corporate pilot programs, and it has struggled to build a scalable, sustainable business model.

Its financial troubles have also been compounded by failed IPO attempts. In 2019, Dataa Robotics filed with the US SEC to raise US$500 million on the NYSE, but the US Commerce Department later restricted the transfer of technology from its US R&D arm to Beijing. The company postponed the IPO amid profitability concerns and faced another technology restriction in 2020. A subsequent Hong Kong listing plan in 2023 also stalled, after a key industrial fund in Nanjing paused approval over commercialization progress.

While China’s humanoid robot industry remains a hot area for investors—attracting over 7 billion yuan in 2024 and another 2 billion yuan in early 2025—the sector is grappling with structural issues. Over 80% of funding still flows into hardware components like motion control and joint modules, with companies chasing similar designs inspired by Tesla’s Optimus. This has led to overlapping R&D and inefficient capital use.

Even top players such as UBTech and Zhiyuan Robotics, both valued at over 10 billion yuan, remain stuck at the lab-stage in terms of real-world applications. Investor Zhu Xiaohu has warned that while consensus around the sector is strong, “technical maturity is far out of step with lofty valuations.”