Unitree Robotics Announces 2025 Mainland IPO Plans Amid Robot Dog Controversy
- tech360.tv
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Unitree Robotics, a leading Chinese humanoid robot maker, announced plans to submit initial public offering documents to an onshore stock exchange between Oct. and Dec. 2025. The Hangzhou-based organisation's statement, dated Aug. 27 and published Tuesday, also aimed to address concerns regarding the military application of its robot dogs.
The company confirmed it is "actively advancing preparations for its IPO" for an A-share sale. A source familiar with the matter stated Unitree is eyeing an onshore IPO as a first step, though specific exchanges in Shanghai, Beijing, or Shenzhen were not named.
Founded nine years ago by Chinese entrepreneur Wang Xingxing, Unitree has become a prominent figure in China's robotics industry. Its private market valuation surged this year after securing backing from major investors, including China Mobile, Alibaba Group Holding, Ant Group, and Tencent Holdings.
Unitree did not release business or financial details, but noted 65% of last year's revenue came from quadruped robots and 30% from humanoid robots. The remaining revenue was from component products. Roughly 80% of its robot dogs were sold for research, education, and consumer use, with 20% for inspection and firefighting. Humanoid robots were used solely in research, education, and consumer fields.
Over the next three months, Unitree employees will receive training on public company operations. The organisation also plans to ensure proper handling of its property, trademarks, and patents, and to establish clear business objectives.
The company sought to distance its technology from the defence industry after videos emerged showing quadruped robots fitted with machine guns. These videos were circulated by hobbyists and military fans.
In May last year, China’s state-owned broadcaster CCTV aired a video of an unarmed Unitree Go2 robot dog performing reconnaissance during a China-Cambodia military exercise. Unitree denied military collaboration, stating it "has always been a civilian robotics company."
The statement reiterated Unitree's commitment to "high-performance general-purpose robots in different industries within the civilian field." The company asserts it has explicit restrictions documented on its official website, in product manuals, and in partner agreements.
Unitree offers seven models of robot dogs, with prices ranging from USD 2,700 for its Go1 model to USD 100,000 for its industrial quadrupeds, the B1 and B2.
The organisation urged "all parties" to differentiate Unitree products from other companies' robots or third-party modified devices. Unitree expressed its hope that its robots would "bring a safer and more enjoyable life to people all over the world."
Earlier this year, Unitree was accused of security breaches involving its Go1 robot dog, which reportedly allowed unauthorised users to gain control and access video cameras.
In May, Unitree shut down a third-party cloud tunnel service due to a "security vulnerability." The company reiterated its clarification about this shutdown on Tuesday.
Unitree Robotics plans to file IPO documents for an A-share sale on a mainland Chinese stock exchange between Oct. and Dec. 2025.
The company addressed concerns about its robot dogs being used for military purposes, asserting its commitment to civilian applications.
Unitree reported that 65% of its revenue last year came from quadruped robots and 30% from humanoid robots.
Source: SCMP