DeepSeek backs Unitree's IPO in deal to merge robots with AI reasoning

Chinese robotics maker Unitree plans to bring AI leader DeepSeek aboard as a key strategic investor for its listing on Shanghai's STAR Market, bringing together two of the strongest names in the "Hangzhou Six Tigers" startup scene.

DeepSeek will take about 934,000 shares worth 141 million yuan (roughly $20 million) in the offering, Unitree disclosed late on Thursday. Unitree Chairman and CEO Wang Xingxing told an investor meeting on Friday that the arrangement follows a strategic cooperation memorandum signed between the two firms.

Under the agreement, the partners will jointly develop large-model AI and "embodied AI" that fuses robotics with machine intelligence. DeepSeek will give preference to Unitree's high-performance general-purpose robots in its applied-AI work, while Unitree will favor DeepSeek for model-training services and related technology. DeepSeek will also provide support on model architecture, computing-cluster building and data-center operations.

The stakes reflect a wager on the convergence of two of China's most-watched fields: humanoid robots and frontier AI. DeepSeek drew global attention for its cost-efficient open-weight models, while Unitree's humanoid and quadruped robots have starred in international headlines. Their pairing mirrors broader move by robot makers to tap AI capabilities indispensable for smart machines.

Unitree plans to issue 40.4 million new shares, about 10% of its post-offering capital, to raise 4.2 billion yuan. Market watchers estimate the deal could value the company at more than 42 billion yuan, ranking it among the biggest robotics listings in the sector.