Ant Group Accelerates Humanoid Robotics Push with Twelfth Investment in 18 Months

BEIJING — Alibaba affiliate Ant Group is aggressively expanding its footprint in the humanoid robotics sector, leading a 500 million yuan ($73.6 million) funding round in startup Zeroth Robotics, the company announced Thursday.

The investment marks the twelfth humanoid robotics deal Ant has struck since the beginning of 2025, according to a CNBC analysis of PitchBook data. The portfolio spans full-stack manufacturers such as Galaxea and Unitree, as well as component and software specialists including Linkerbot, Hypershell, and Genrobot AI.

Since regulators blocked its blockbuster IPO in 2020, the operator of the Alipay mobile payments platform has diversified into healthcare services and proprietary artificial intelligence models. In late 2024, Ant established a dedicated humanoid subsidiary, RobbyAnt, which has since developed its own prototype. The group has also rolled out an AI- and robotics-integrated version of Alipay — a platform Zeroth has identified as a key area for future collaboration.

Monolith, Geely Capital, 37 Interactive Entertainment, and Hua Capital joined the pre-Series A round, bringing Zeroth’s total capital raised to 1 billion yuan. Founded in late 2024 and known domestically as Suzhou JoyIn Intelligent Technology, the startup sources chips from Horizon Robotics and recruits talent from the smartphone semiconductor industry, according to founder Guo Renjie.

Guo outlined a phased commercialization strategy targeting the home market: beginning with companionship robots for elderly and pet care, then expanding into children’s education. The company claims to have secured orders for over 30,000 units, with first-half revenue surging 600% year-over-year. Overseas sales in North America and Europe are slated to commence this autumn, pending regulatory clearance.

The deal underscords intensifying competition in China’s humanoid robotics arena. On Monday, Nvidia announced it is hiring for multiple robotics roles across Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, signaling deepening commitment from global technology leaders.

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