The U.S. government is considering issuing an executive order on robotics next year, following its push for artificial intelligence. U.S. stock iRobot surged over 79%, highlighting the sector's strong activity. Below is an overview of the robotics industry chain and key developments:
**I. Recent Catalysts and Driving Factors** 1. **Policy and Funding Support, Expanding Application Scenarios** - Local fiscal incentives: Guangdong’s "Fund Management Rules" offer subsidies up to ¥50 million, while Shanghai’s "AI+Manufacturing Plan" promotes human-robot collaboration in steel and shipbuilding. Beijing has released over 10,000 robot deployment opportunities, and a national AI fund of ¥60 billion has been established. - Central guidance: The Ministry of Industry and IT listed humanoid robots as a priority in its "Future Industry Innovation Plan," advancing standardization and pilot applications (e.g., technical requirements for humanoid robots and international standards for elderly-care robots).
2. **Corporate Financing and IPO Prospects Strengthen** - Strategic partnerships: UBTECH ROBOTICS secured a $1 billion deal with Infini Capital, while Unitree Robotics plans an IPO by late 2025. - Platform upgrades: JD.com launched a ¥10 billion "Smart Robot Acceleration Program," and Meituan invested in unmanned pharmacies, creating a "capital-scenario-channel" commercialization loop.
3. **Order and Mass Production Improvements** - Breakthroughs: TZTEK won a ¥14 million order for humanoid robot controllers, shifting industry focus from specs to delivery capabilities. - Mass production: Tesla’s Optimus Gen3 targets 1 million units by 2026, intensifying competition on cost-performance-delivery metrics.
4. **Technological Advancements** - Computing and OS: NVIDIA’s Jetson AGX Thor delivers 2070 TFLOPS (7.5x improvement), while Zhiyuan’s RoboOS enables multi-robot coordination. - Localization: Harmonic reducers now hold 40% domestic share, and dexterous hands cost below ¥10,000, meeting commercialization thresholds.
5. **Industry Growth and Capital Inflow** - Revenue doubled to ¥237.89 billion (2024), with industrial robot output hitting 595,000 units. - Financial interest: Robotics ETF (560770) saw ¥150 million inflows in two days, and Morgan Stanley forecasts a $5 trillion humanoid robot market by 2050 (50% CAGR).
**II. Trends and Outlook** 1. **Industrial Robots**: Integration with MES/ERP systems and overseas expansion. 2. **Collaborative Robots**: 90% domestic adoption in 3C and metal processing, driven by safety and ease of use. 3. **Humanoid Robots**: Industrial/education applications first, with cost reductions via localized components. 4. **Service Robots**: Modular designs lower costs in healthcare and security, while niche segments like deep-sea robotics grow.
**III. Key Beneficiaries** 1. **Upstream Components**: Servo systems (Inovance, 300124), reducers (Leaderdrive, 688017). 2. **Midstream Systems**: Humanoid/collaborative robots (Estun, 002747). 3. **Downstream Applications**: RaaS models in logistics/healthcare (JD-SW, 09618; Meituan, 3690).
**IV. Risks** - Technological uncertainty, production delays, valuation volatility, and supply chain disruptions.
**Conclusion** The robotics sector is at a critical juncture, driven by policy, tech, and capital. Near-term focus: component localization; long-term: embodied AI platforms. Prioritize high-barrier components, integrated manufacturers, and ecosystem players.