Zeroth raises $74M pre-Series A for humanoid robots; hits 30K orders, 600% YoY growth

<cite index="36-1,36-3">Chinese humanoid robotics startup Zeroth raised $74 million in pre-Series A financing led by Ant Group, with participation from Geely Capital, 37 Interactive Entertainment, Hua Capital, and existing investor Monolith.</cite> The funding will support six core technology areas, talent acquisition, and global market expansion. <cite index="36-1,36-4">Zeroth has surpassed 30,000 robot orders and reported 600% year-over-year revenue growth in the first half of 2026, with orders for its M1 and W1 robots across early childhood education, smart home, and pet companionship uses.</cite>

<cite index="36-4">Zeroth plans to introduce a physical AI ecosystem for humanoid robots later this year, branding embodied robots as 'intelligent mirrors' that accompany lives and engage in meaningful dialogue rather than merely functional tools.</cite> The company positions the human-robot relationship as shifting from 'conquest and replacement' to 'resonance and integration.' Ant Group's lead position reflects China's domestic embodied AI push as a strategic alternative to U.S.-developed robotics platforms.

The $74M round reflects investor confidence in production-ready embodied AI at consumer scale. Zeroth's revenue traction (600% YoY) and order volume (30K+ units) demonstrate tangible market demand for robots-as-companions in non-industrial settings. For AI infrastructure investors, this signals that embodied AI adoption in Asia is moving from research to deployment, with capital flowing to companies demonstrating unit economics and replicable manufacturing. Expect similar announcements from U.S. and European roboticists as the category matures.