Chinese humanoid robot startup Galaxy General has secured 2.5 billion yuan (approximately $343 million) in a new funding round, marking another mega-deal in China’s red-hot robotics sector.
The round was backed by an impressive lineup of investors including the National AI Industry Fund (a subsidiary of Phase III of the Big Fund), Sinopec, CITIC Group, SAIC Motor, Bank of China, and a host of other state-backed institutions. Existing shareholders also participated, showing strong confidence in the company’s trajectory.
Founded in May 2023 by Peking University researcher Wang He, Galaxy General has quickly become one of the most talked-about names in China’s humanoid robotics space. The company’s robots gained national spotlight during this year’s Spring Festival Gala, performing tasks alongside famous comedians Shen Teng and Ma Li—walnut shelling, picking up glass shards, folding clothes, and even skewering sausages.
Image via Galaxy General
What sets Galaxy General apart is its full-stack approach. Unlike many competitors who develop the “brain” (task planning) and “body” (motion control) separately, Galaxy General’s proprietary “AstraBrain” large model integrates everything from multimodal perception to real-time feedback control. This allows for smoother coordination between the robot’s whole body and its dexterous hands.
Real-world deployments are already happening
Industrial manufacturing
The company has secured thousands of units in orders from global giants including CATL, Bosch, Toyota, and BAIC. Their heavy-duty Galbot S1 robot, capable of lifting up to 50kg per arm, is already operating autonomously in CATL’s battery factories.
Retail
Over 100 “Galaxy Space Capsule” convenience stores across 20+ Chinese cities are now operating with robots.
Healthcare
Partnerships with top-tier hospitals like Xuanwu Hospital and West China Hospital are exploring robotics applications in wards and pharmacies.
This latest funding brings Galaxy General’s valuation to over 20 billion yuan. The company says it will continue focusing on building world-leading embodied AI large models and accelerating the path from lab to productive force.
My take
Galaxy General’s rapid ascent reflects a broader shift in China’s robotics strategy. While US companies often lead in software and foundational research, Chinese firms are excelling at hardware integration and cost-efficient manufacturing. More importantly, they’re not waiting for perfection—they’re deploying robots in real-world environments today, collecting valuable data that will fuel the next generation of improvements. As the saying goes, “hardware is eating the world.”
Tags: Galaxy General, Funding, Humanoid Robots, Embodied AI, CATL, China Robotics, Manufacturing Automation
Category: News