Chinese embodied AI startups raise $13B in 2026

Chinese robotics companies are shifting focus from hardware manufacturing to developing embodied AI, driven by the belief that software intelligence will capture the most value. In the first half of 2026, Chinese embodied AI startups raised billions of yuan amid growing competition and hardware price drops. However, developers still face significant hurdles, including a shortage of advanced Nvidia chips due to US export controls and the ongoing challenge of acquiring high-quality physical training data. Open article →