Unitree raises $905 million in Shanghai IPO and unveils Superman humanoid robot

Stock market debut and capital raising

Unitree Robotics commenced trading on Shanghai's STAR Market on 19 August 2026, following an initial public offering that raised 6.1 billion yuan (approximately $905 million). The offering price was set at 150.80 yuan ($22.30) per share during the bookbuilding process conducted the preceding week. Demand from retail investors exceeded the allocated share volume by more than 8,000 times, representing the highest subscription ratio recorded on the Shanghai technology board. Certain regulatory documents cited by Business Insider reported retail oversubscription surpassing 5,000 times. The listing establishes the Hangzhou-based manufacturer as the first general-purpose robotics company to enter mainland China's public equity markets. Prior to the opening bell, offshore derivatives activity also indicated elevated investor interest in the stock.

Demonstration of the Superman humanoid

Two days ahead of the stock market debut, Unitree presented a new high-speed humanoid model called Superman through a video demonstration. The robot completed a standing vertical jump of two meters from a stationary position and reached a top speed of 12.66 meters per second, equivalent to 45.6 kilometers per hour. Unitree developed the machine in slightly over three months, outfitting the unit with 0.85-meter legs. In the published footage, the robot achieved its velocity through rapid stride cadence with feet kept low to the ground, trading conventional running posture for raw forward momentum. The company has previously built global visibility through demonstration videos showing earlier humanoid units dancing, running, and performing martial arts routines.

Unitree commented on the developmental state of the machine in an accompanying announcement on social media.

This new machine has been only in development for just over three months, with enough room to continue improving in the coming months.

Technical limitations and AI development

The recorded running speed of 12.66 meters per second exceeds the instantaneous top speed of 12.42 meters per second achieved by sprinter Usain Bolt during the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin. Despite the athletic figures, Unitree clarified that the Superman robot remains an early-stage prototype rather than a finished commercial product. The company has not published a retail price, target shipment dates, or specific factory and domestic tasks for the machine. The physical demonstration follows the unveiling of a dedicated artificial intelligence architecture several weeks prior. That system was developed to help humanoid units interpret physical environments and execute decisions in real time.

Manufacturing volume and global market share

The debut of both the stock and the Superman prototype coincides with the opening of the World Robot Conference in Beijing. Unitree reported that it had assembled and delivered approximately 18,000 bipedal humanoid robots across various model lines by July 2026. Across the broader domestic industry, Chinese robotics manufacturers shipped more than 19,000 humanoid units during the first six months of 2026. These shipments accounted for roughly 97% of the worldwide humanoid robotics market during that period. Western competitors such as Boston Dynamics have demonstrated advanced mobility in laboratory settings, but have not deployed commercial humanoid robots into mass-market volume sales.