Chinese humanoid robot startup Songyan Power has secured nearly 1 billion yuan (approximately $137 million) in its Series B funding round, just days after its show-stealing performance at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala alongside veteran actress Cai Ming.
The round was led by Chendao Capital, an industrial investment platform backed by battery giant CATL, with participation from Guoke Investment, Jingsheng Fund, and Jiuchuang Investment.
Founded in September 2023 by a team of young engineers mostly born after 1995, Songyan pursues a “biped + bionic” dual-track approach. Its most talked-about product, the “Xiaobumi” humanoid robot, is priced at just 9,998 yuan, positioning it as an affordable option for education and companionship.
During the Spring Festival Gala, Songyan’s robots—including the N2, E1, and the miniature “Xiaobumi”—performed side flips, head extensions, and human-like running movements alongside Cai Ming, marking the actress’s return to robot-themed performances after 30 years.
The company targets two main scenarios: educational companionship (with Xiaobumi) and entertainment/guided tours with its bionic humanoids. Songyan CMO Zhang Miao previously stated that 2026 will focus on strengthening hardware reliability, integrating brain-body control, and using real-world data to drive iteration.
This funding round adds to the wave of capital flooding into China’s humanoid sector. Following Galaxy General’s 2.5 billion yuan raise on the same day, Songyan’s close ties to CATL signal that battery giants are now placing strategic bets on embodied AI.
Image via Songyan Power
My take
While Galaxy General is building robots that work in factories and stores, Songyan is taking a different bet—affordable, emotionally engaging robots that can live with us. The $10,000 price tag on Xiaobumi is a deliberate move to create a mass market. The real test will be whether these “companions” can deliver enough utility to justify the purchase.
Tags: Songyan Power, Funding, Humanoid Robots, CATL, Spring Festival Gala, Xiaobumi, China Robotics
Category: News