Unitree Robotics: A Rising Force
宇树科技的后来居上
Author: Mulong Xianren (牧龙闲人)
【Editor’s Note: Wang Xingxing, the founder of Unitree Robotics, has emerged as a prominent figure in the global robotics industry, having founded a company now dominating the quadruped robot market. His company’s flagship, the robotic dog, showcases remarkable agility and performance, outperforming traditional robots. Despite struggling academically, especially in English, Wang developed a passion for tinkering and innovation in his youth, eventually creating low-cost, highly agile robots. Unitree, founded at 26, has disrupted the market with its affordable robots, rivaling Boston Dynamics. Its products, like the robotic dog and humanoid robots, have garnered international acclaim and are featured in major events like the Super Bowl and the Beijing Olympics. Wang continues to drive innovation, aiming to redefine both military and civilian robotics.
At NVIDIA’s recent Beijing event, CEO Huang Renxun (黄仁勋) was joined by Wang Xingxing (王兴兴), a 1990s-born founder of Unitree Robotics (宇树科技). Despite his modest academic background—his English once hindered graduate school acceptance—Wang displayed an exceptional talent for crafting robots. He developed a budget-friendly two-legged machine in college, then created “XDog,” a quadruped robot that caught investors’ eyes after online videos went viral. Resigning from DJI (大疆), he launched Unitree. Today, Unitree holds about 70% of the global quadruped robot market, overshadowing high-cost competitors like Boston Dynamics. Its affordable, electric-driven robots have also appeared at major events, from China’s Spring Festival Gala to the 2023 Super Bowl. Expanding into humanoid robotics, Wang unveiled a consumer-grade G1 robot at a competitive price. By fusing technical know-how with a market-savvy strategy, Wang and Unitree exemplify China’s move from technological “follower” to global “definer.” His vision signals an era of agile robotics across civilian realms.】
Recently, the annual gala dinner hosted by the chip giant NVIDIA (英伟达) in Beijing drew considerable attention from the tech community.
Sitting next to NVIDIA CEO Huang Renxun (黄仁勋) was a young man born in the 1990s.
● Huang Renxun (黄仁勋) and Wang Xingxing (王兴兴)
Compared with the circle of established tech magnates around him, this young man appeared scholarly, almost shy in demeanor.
Yet this very “kid,” as some might call him, has earned praise from Huang Renxun (黄仁勋), Elon Musk (马斯克), and others among the global elite—and even piqued the interest of the U.S. military-industrial sector, which has been quietly studying his robots.
He is Wang Xingxing (王兴兴), founder of Unitree Robotics (宇树科技).
Unitree Robotics (宇树科技) occupies nearly 70% of the global quadruped robot market, making it the undisputed industry leader. Its robotic dogs have become a worldwide sensation.
Some in the media have remarked that Unitree might be one of the most likely Chinese companies to emerge as a global tech giant. Others have placed “Unitree’s robotic dogs” alongside “DJI drones (大疆无人机)” as evidence that Chinese technology is reshaping the global military landscape: “DJI in the skies, Unitree on the ground.”
A “Poor Student” Held Back by English
Last December, Unitree Robotics (宇树科技) released a demo video of its robotic dog, which left countless viewers astonished.
In the video, the robot dog moves with remarkable agility, executing spins, leaps, handstands, and flips—an array of complicated maneuvers. It also roams freely across mountainous terrain, forests, and rushing currents, demonstrating extraordinary balance and stability.
According to official Unitree data, this robot dog can operate for more than five hours with no load, reach a top speed of 20 kilometers per hour, and carry a maximum load of 120 kilograms. When bearing 40 kilograms, it can travel up to 50 kilometers.
Its impressive athletic performance has dramatically altered public perceptions of machines.
Internet users worldwide have uniformly described it as “terrifyingly strong.” Even Elon Musk (马斯克) shared the video on social media, adding the caption: “Future wars will be fought by robots.”
Unlike many tech-company founders who graduated from elite universities, Wang Xingxing (王兴兴) is not an alumnus of any top institution. He often jokes that he was a “poor student.”
The main issue was his severe struggles with English.
Wang Xingxing (王兴兴) attended Zhejiang Sci-Tech University (浙江理工大学) for his undergraduate studies, where his English grades were so poor that he repeatedly failed the course.
During his senior year, he took the national entrance exam for graduate studies. Because he did not meet the required score for English, he missed the chance to enter his dream school, Zhejiang University (浙江大学), and ended up at Shanghai University (上海大学).
A native of Ningbo (宁波) in Zhejiang Province, Wang had always been weak in English and faced discouragement from a young age.
At a parent-teacher conference, his English instructor bluntly told his mother: “This child is a bit slow.”
Such remarks dealt a heavy blow to Wang’s self-confidence. His sense of accomplishment came only when he worked on handicrafts.
He would use cardboard, scraps of aluminum, and other materials around the house to make various items. He even cherished a rusted steel saw, older than he was, as his most trusted companion.
Immersed in this handcrafted world, his manual skills advanced rapidly. By middle school, he was already building his own RC cars, model ships, and model airplanes.
One day, while chatting with the classmate who sat next to him, Wang mentioned that he hoped to become a scientist.
That classmate sneered, declaring that he hoped to become an entrepreneur.
“Why do you want to be an entrepreneur?” Wang asked.
The classmate replied, “Because entrepreneurs can employ a whole bunch of scientists to do all sorts of research.”
It was a casual statement, but it left a deep impression on Wang. He realized then that founding a tech company might be more valuable than doing research alone.
A 200-Yuan Budget Robot
Upon entering college, Wang found that the relatively flexible schedule gave him more freedom to pursue his interests.
His dorm room desk was piled high with tools. On days without classes, he would stay in the dorm, tinkering away.
He considered himself fortunate—his roommates were tolerant enough to put up with the constant noise of his hammering and drilling.
Within a few months, Wang had created his first masterpiece: a two-legged humanoid robot.
This robot used more than a dozen 9g servos (small electric actuators), and its total cost was no more than 200 yuan. Though it looked rough, it was as nimble as the commercially available humanoid robots, which can cost tens of thousands of yuan.
It was then that he realized his innate talent.
While working on his master’s degree at Shanghai University (上海大学), Wang began developing quadruped robots. He named his creation “XDog,” with “X,” signifying the unknown, and “Dog,” symbolizing agility and loyalty.
He was so determined to complete this robotic dog that he applied for a graduation delay.
When he took XDog to a robotics design competition, it caused a sensation, winning second prize and 80,000 yuan in prize money.
Powered by fully electric drives, XDog stood out for its low cost and high agility.
Wang brought XDog to pitch sessions, hoping to find investors, but each time he was turned down. At the time, no one believed in him.
So, after finishing his master’s program, Wang looked for work and eventually joined DJI (大疆).
A few months later, an opportunity emerged.
A video of Wang’s robotic dog was reposted abroad, garnering coverage from international media, and was then re-shared on Chinese social media.
That round of exposure gave XDog a sheen of credibility and fame.
Potential buyers started inquiring about Wang’s robot dog. Investors showed new interest.
Wang left DJI (大疆) and founded Unitree Robotics (宇树科技).
He was 26 at the time.
“As for the name ‘Unitree (宇树),’ I wanted to use all kinds of technology to help humanity progress—to light up the technology tree for everyone.”
Unitree Robotics (宇树科技): A Rising Force
When Unitree Robotics (宇树科技) was established, the American firm Boston Dynamics had already devoted more than two decades to robotics and enjoyed global renown—yet it had never managed large-scale product commercialization.
High prices and a complex technological path left many potential buyers gazing on with little recourse.
In Wang’s view, revolutionizing the global robotics market would hinge on a product that is both reliable and affordable.
Under his leadership, Unitree Robotics (宇树科技) broke through the pricing barrier, bringing quadruped robots—once priced at hundreds of thousands of yuan—into a more attainable bracket of just tens of thousands.
This price-performance edge propelled Unitree to rapid market prominence.
Compared to Boston Dynamics’ long-standing commitment to hydraulics, Unitree’s electric-drive approach yields more nimble, lower-cost, stable, and easy-to-maintain products.
These attributes are exactly what users value most.
Unitree’s clients include tech giants such as Google, Amazon, and NVIDIA (英伟达). One industry observer praised the company: “(Unitree Robotics) has precisely met market needs.”
As Unitree rapidly gained market share, client feedback helped refine and upgrade its products. This virtuous cycle put Unitree well ahead of its competitors.
From electric-drive techniques to motion control algorithms, from high-energy-density joint motors to 3D LiDAR, Unitree has built a robust portfolio of both software and hardware capabilities.
In 2021, at China Central Television’s Spring Festival Gala in the Year of the Ox (央视牛年春晚), Unitree’s “robotic oxen” made their debut on national television.
Dozens of adorable robotic oxen performed alongside the show’s dancers, moving in sync with the music and combining modern technology with traditional culture in a seamless display.
They also appeared at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics (北京冬奥会), the Lantern Festival Gala in the Year of the Tiger (2022虎年元宵节晚会), and the 2023 Super Bowl (referred to as “America’s Spring Festival Gala” in some media).
In 2023, at the Hangzhou Asian Games (杭州亚运会), two robot dogs from Unitree Robotics (宇树科技) became the most talked-about “standouts” on the athletic field.
They served as “porters,” busily running back and forth to retrieve discus and javelins for athletes. They would obediently crouch at the sidelines when the job was done, awaiting the next command.
Each dog ran over seven kilometers during a single competition, saving human labor and adding a technological flair to the sporting event.
From “Follower” to “Definer”
Beyond quadruped robots, Wang Xingxing (王兴兴) has led Unitree Robotics (宇树科技) to notable achievements in humanoid robotics as well.
In 2024, Unitree officially launched the G1 humanoid robot. This robot boasted outstanding overall performance and was priced far lower than international competitors—only 99,000 yuan.
Responding to inquiries about the low price tag, Wang explained:
“The idea behind 99,000 yuan is simply to get more people to start using robots.”
For decades, humanoid robots were considered high-concept, high-priced laboratory curiosities. Aside from promotional videos, few people had witnessed them in real life.
Wang, however, brought humanoid robots into the consumer realm, making them affordable for thousands upon thousands of households.
● In January 2024, on CCTV’s News Broadcast (央视《新闻联播》), Wang Xingxing (王兴兴) gave an in-depth interview as a representative of key enterprises under “accelerating the release of growth potential in China’s manufacturing.”
Wang continues to apply the quadruped-robot strategy: capture market share, use market feedback to refine products, and leverage that momentum for technological breakthroughs.
He has always regarded his former employer, DJI (大疆), as a benchmark, aspiring to match DJI’s achievements and influence on the global stage.
He speaks of the future of robotics with unwavering confidence: “Within five years, you’ll likely see people walking down the street or around various places accompanied by quadruped robots, which serve as smart ‘pet dogs’ fulfilling people’s emotional needs.”
From military to civilian uses, quadruped robots offer ever more possibilities.
On October 20, 2024, Hua Chunying (华春莹) posted a video on social media.
● The domestically made robot dog video posted by Hua Chunying (华春莹) on social media
In the clip, the robot dog acts as a porter on Mount Tai (泰山), carrying a heavy load up steep trails with greater speed and steadier steps than the average human.
Hua Chunying (华春莹) praised it in English: “A robot dog acting as a porter on the majestic Mount Tai: technology serving humanity.”
It is foreseeable that robot dogs will be deployed in ever more fields—security, inspection, firefighting, and surveying—replacing human labor in hazardous environments.
Worldwide, China’s tech companies are evolving from “followers” into “definers.”
Wang Xingxing (王兴兴) and Unitree Robotics (宇树科技) are a microcosm of this shift.
What’s more, both remain impressively young.
At 35, Wang has been leading Unitree Robotics (宇树科技) for only eight years.
Through solid technical prowess, he is upending global perceptions of Chinese manufacturing. No longer synonymous with cheap or low-end output, “Made in China” is emerging as a symbol of innovation and dynamism.
Wang and Unitree still have a long road ahead.
This translation is an independent yet well-intentioned effort by the China Thought Express editorial team to bridge ideas between the Chinese and English-speaking worlds. The original text is available here:
华人作者团 最华人
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