Insider Brief
- Chinese robotics startup Linkerbot is targeting a $6 billion valuation in its next funding round after completing a Series B+ financing at a $3 billion valuation, according to Reuters.
- The Beijing-based company said it holds more than 80% of the global market for high-degree-of-freedom robotic hands and plans to double monthly production capacity to 10,000 units.
- Investor interest in China’s humanoid robotics sector has accelerated following recent advances and public demonstrations by companies including Unitree, while Linkerbot focuses on industrial dexterous robotics applications rather than full humanoid systems.
Chinese robotics startup Linkerbot is targeting a $6 billion valuation in its next funding round, doubling the valuation it secured in a recently completed financing as investor interest surges around humanoid robotics and dexterous robotic systems, Reuters reported.
The Beijing-based company, which specializes in robotic hands for humanoid robots, said it completed a Series B+ funding round last week at a $3 billion valuation. Reuters reported the company did not disclose when the next round would occur or whether the targeted valuation would come through a private financing or an initial public offering.
Linkerbot counts Alibaba affiliate Ant Group and HongShan Group among its early investors. The latest round also included the state-backed Zhongguancun Science Park Fund, Bank of China Asset Management and Fosun Capital, according to Reuters.
The company said it currently holds more than 80% of the global market for high-degree-of-freedom robotic hands and plans to increase production capacity to 10,000 units per month from roughly 5,000 currently.
Investor enthusiasm for China’s humanoid robotics sector has accelerated this year following demonstrations from companies including Unitree, whose humanoid robots drew attention during a televised performance and a humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing last month. Reuters reported Unitree filed for a Shanghai IPO in March at a valuation of up to $7 billion.
Linkerbot is concentrating on industrial and precision applications. The company said its robotic hands can perform tasks such as threading needles, handling soft materials and precision assembly work, Reuters noted.
Linkerbot also developed a data platform called LinkerSkillNet, which it described as a large-scale dexterous manipulation dataset designed to convert human skills into reusable robotic capabilities. Reuters reported the platform currently contains more than 500 skills.