D-Robotics Raises $120 Million in Series B1 as Didi, Meituan Bet on China’s Robotics ‘Wintel’

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Chinese robotics infrastructure provider D-Robotics has completed a $120 million Series B1 funding round, bringing its total fundraising to $220 million in less than a year as investors rush to back the “picks and shovels” of the robotics gold rush.

The latest round features an unusually dense lineup of strategic investors: CMB Zhiyuan Venture Capital, Didi, and Meituan Longzhu led the round, joined by Bairui Capital, Jiuyang Capital, Yongning Gaoxin Capital, BAIC Capital, Jiukun Venture Capital, Xinlian Capital, and Yarui Capital. Existing shareholders including Hillhouse Ventures, Temasek’s Vertex Growth, Linear Capital, and others made additional oversubscribed investments.

D-Robotics, which spun off from autonomous driving chip giant Horizon Robotics in early 2024, positions itself as the “Wintel of the robotics era”—not building robots themselves, but providing the essential chips, algorithms, and software platforms that power every type of robot.

Strategic Investors Place Bets on Future Robot Scenarios

What makes this funding round remarkable is not just the amount, but the strategic logic behind each investor.

Didi’s participation points directly to future mobility and logistics scenarios. As China’s largest ride-hailing platform, Didi has made autonomous driving a core strategic priority—and robotics shares the same underlying technologies of perception, decision-making, and control. Investing in D-Robotics gives Didi a stake in the future “computing power gateway” for unmanned transportation.

Meituan’s intent is equally clear. From drone delivery to autonomous delivery vehicles, Meituan is already China’s largest potential user of delivery robots. Backing D-Robotics isn’t just about securing supply chain—it’s about helping define the technical standards for next-generation delivery machines.

BAIC Capital’s involvement represents the automotive industry’s extension into robotics. BAIC has aggressively invested in humanoid startups including Xinghai Tu, Star Dynasty, and Zhiyuan Robotics. Car manufacturing is already the largest application scenario for industrial robots—investing in the “brain” that will power future smart factories makes strategic sense.

The presence of Jiuyang Capital (backed by home appliance giant Joyoung) signals household appliance giants’ early positioning in home service robotics.

Meanwhile, financial investors like Hillhouse and Temasek are betting on what may become the most critical infrastructure layer in the coming robotics ecosystem.

From Horizon Spin-off to Robotics Infrastructure Backbone

D-Robotics emerged from Horizon’s AIoT and robotics division, inheriting the same BPU computing architecture validated in millions of vehicles. The company’s CEO Wang Cong previously led Horizon’s AIoT and robotics business.

The company’s core proposition is simple: provide the full-stack “toolbox”—chips, algorithms, and software—that enables any robotics company to build intelligent machines without reinventing the wheel. Its product lineup spans computing power from 5 to 560 TOPS, covering everything from consumer robots to humanoids.

Key products include:

  • Sunrise series chips: Over 5 million units shipped to date
  • RDK developer kits: Entry-level X3 (5 TOPS) to high-end S100 (128 TOPS) for embodied AI applications
  • Full development platform: From simulation to deployment tools

The company now serves over 100,000 developers across 20+ countries and regions.

Behind the Scenes of Hit Robots: D-Robotics as the “Invisible Supplier”

While consumers may not know D-Robotics by name, the company’s technology powers a growing list of successful robot products:

  • Narwal’s Freo 002 robot vacuum: D-Robotics enables its AI stereo vision for intelligent cleaning
  • Insta360’s Antigravity A1 drone: The world’s first panoramic drone powered by D-Robotics computing platform
  • Vita Dynamics’ robotic dog: Intelligent companion robot using D-Robotics core computing

These products span home, consumer electronics, and service robot scenarios—exactly the kind of “robots in everyday life” that represent the industry’s mass-market future.

The “Wintel of Robotics” Vision

D-Robotics openly aspires to become the defining infrastructure platform for the robotics era—much like Microsoft+Intel defined the PC era and ARM+Android built mobile ecosystems.

The timing is strategic. Industry observers consider 2026 the “first year of humanoid robot mass production.” D-Robotics’ flagship S600 large-compute platform for embodied AI is set to launch in Q1 2026, with leading robotics companies including Fourier, Accelerated Evolution, Star Dynasty, and GAC Group as its first strategic customers.

By Q1 2027, D-Robotics plans to release three new chips using advanced process nodes and its latest BPU architecture.

My take

This funding round signals something bigger than another robotics investment. It represents a maturation of the entire sector: after years of chasing flashy humanoid demos, capital is now flowing to the foundational infrastructure that will actually enable scalable robotics.

The presence of Didi, Meituan, BAIC, and Joyoung isn’t coincidence. Each is betting on a future where their core businesses—transportation, delivery, manufacturing, home appliances—are increasingly powered by intelligent machines. They’re not just investing for financial returns; they’re securing strategic position in the coming robot economy.

What D-Robotics has built is remarkable: over 500,000 chips shipped, 100,000+ developers, and now a clear path to becoming the “pick and shovel” supplier that every robot builder will need. While headlines focus on walking robots, the real story may be happening quietly in the chips that power them.

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Tags: D-Robotics, Robotics Infrastructure, Horizon Robotics, Didi, Meituan, Embodied AI, Robot Chips

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