China’s Unitree unveils ‘Superman’ robot

Unitree, a leading humanoid-robot manufacturer based in Hangzhou, China, displayed its latest creation, the “Superman” robot, on Monday. The new robot was revealed just days before the company became the first general-purpose robotics firm to list on mainland China’s stock market. Founded by Wang Xingxing, Unitree has seen a surge in popularity following its IPO last week, which raised 6.1 billion yuan ($905 million). The IPO was over 8,000 times oversubscribed, marking a record for Shanghai’s tech-focused STAR Market.

The “Superman” robot can achieve a standing jump of 2 meters and reach a top speed of 12.66 meters per second. It was developed in under three months, showcasing Unitree’s rapid progress in the field. The company’s humanoid robots have garnered global attention for their abilities, including running, dancing, and performing martial arts. As of July, Unitree had produced and delivered about 18,000 bipedal humanoid robots across multiple models.

The IPO took place on the same day as the opening of the World Robot Conference in Beijing, which likely drew additional investor interest. Unitree’s success can be attributed to support from influential technology companies such as Tencent, Alibaba, and DeepSeek. The company’s shares are expected to benefit from a broader recovery in Chinese technology stocks following last month’s market downturn. The STAR50 Index, a benchmark for Chinese tech stocks, has rebounded about 15 percent since early August.

Meanwhile, European firms are exploring opportunities to fill gaps that Chinese giants may not be able to address. At France’s Vivatech trade fair, Enchanted Tools showcased its Mirokai robot, featuring long orange ears, wide blue eyes, and the ability to communicate in over 50 languages. Prototypes of the robot have already been deployed to welcome people to hospitals and airports.

While the company hopes to mass-produce Mirokai by the end of the year, some advanced AI robotics technologies, such as graphics processors from Nvidia, are not readily available in Europe. Nonetheless, China remains a dominant force in robotics production, with around 87 percent of the 13,000 humanoid robots deployed worldwide in 2025 manufactured by Chinese companies.