If you have seen a robot doing backflips or dancing in a viral video, there is a good chance it was made by Unitree. The Hangzhou-based company went public in Shanghai on Wednesday, and investors treated the occasion like a major event.
Unitree listed on the STAR Market, the exchange's board for technology companies. The stock eventually settled at 845 yuan, still more than 460% above the offering price.
For a company that built its name on machines that flip through the air, it was a fitting entrance. The STAR Market has been welcoming to new tech names recently.
Unitree's robots have captured global attention because they move like people. But beyond the spectacle, the company's real business involves two-legged humanoid robots with dexterous hands capable of grasping objects, as well as four-legged machines designed for practical tasks like hazard detection.
Just before the listing, Unitree introduced a new humanoid dubbed "Superman." The company claims it can leap two meters from a standstill and sprint at 12.66 meters per second. For a machine built to resemble a person, that is fast.
All of this makes for compelling video, and the market clearly loves the show. The real question is whether Unitree can convert that attention into actual sales.
Unitree has influential supporters. Tencent, the Chinese tech giant, was already an investor, and AI company DeepSeek contributed approximately 140.8 million yuan to the round.
The involvement of DeepSeek is notable - it signals that AI companies are paying close attention to robotics. The momentum extends well beyond Unitree alone.
The bank values China's humanoid robot industry at around $2 billion this year and expects it to reach $15 billion by 2030.
Morgan Stanley also anticipates a broader rollout of trial projects starting around the middle of this year, with full-size humanoids expected to account for roughly 30% of shipments. By 2028, the bank says, they could represent 70% of all humanoid shipments.
For investors, the story here is bigger than one hot stock. Humanoid robots are moving from viral videos into a genuine industry, and capital is following. At the same time, a 542% first-day surge means a great deal of expectation is already baked into Unitree's share price. A stock that jumps that quickly carries significant weight, and the true test will be whether the company can turn its famous machines into steady profits.
The forecasts are ambitious, but they remain forecasts. The coming years will reveal whether humanoid robots become a real business that shows up in earnings reports - or remain just a fun story to watch. For investors, that distinction is what matters most.