China Funnels $137M Into Humanoid Robot Startup Giga AI

March 6, 2026

China Funnels $137M Into Humanoid Robot Startup Giga AI

Published: March 6, 2026 at 12:34 AM

Updated: March 6, 2026 at 12:34 AM

100-word summary

Giga AI just closed nearly 1 billion RMB ($137 million) in Pre-B funding, with a notable roster of state-backed investors including SMIC Juyuan and Shanghai Semiconductor Industry Investment Fund. The money will scale production of the company's Maker H01 humanoid robot, aiming to ship thousands of units in 2026. This marks China's second nine-figure robotics round in a month, following Galaxea AI's February raise. The strategic signal is hard to miss: Beijing is pouring government-aligned capital into embodied AI, betting that humanoid robots move from lab curiosity to factory floor faster than the West expects. China isn't just watching the robotics race. It's writing checks.

What happened

Giga AI just closed nearly 1 billion RMB ($137 million) in Pre-B funding, with a notable roster of state-backed investors including SMIC Juyuan and Shanghai Semiconductor Industry Investment Fund. The money will scale production of the company's Maker H01 humanoid robot, aiming to ship thousands of units in 2026. This marks China's second nine-figure robotics round in a month, following Galaxea AI's February raise. The strategic signal is hard to miss: Beijing is pouring government-aligned capital into embodied AI, betting that humanoid robots move from lab curiosity to factory floor faster than the West expects. China isn't just watching the robotics race.

Why it matters

It's writing checks.

Sources