7–13 September 2026

Date: 2026-09-13
Type: ARTICLE
Desk: Capital moves
Topics: Funding, Acquisitions, Capital Moves, Pending Transactions, Public Markets, Strategic Investment
Deck: Funding rounds, acquisitions and other capital transactions across robotics, autonomous systems and their enabling technologies.
URL: https://korthosrobotics.com/research/state-of-the-machines-capital-dispatch-week-of-sep-7-2026
Referenced profiles: Kinetix AI (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/kinetix-ai); Vecna Robotics (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/vecna-robotics); Tianji Intelligent (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/tianji-intelligent); SENAD / 赛那德 (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/senad); LinDong Bionic (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/lindong-bionic); Antioch (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/antioch); Aidin Robotics (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/aidin-robotics); Zongwei Automation (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/zongwei-automation); Westlake Robotics (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/westlake-robotics); Analog Devices (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/analog-devices); Estun Automation (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/estun-automation); First Hydrogen (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/first-hydrogen); Bear Robotics (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/bear-robotics); Mecka AI (https://korthosrobotics.com/ecosystem/company/mecka-ai)

Title: Robotics capital moves — 7–13 September 2026
Deck: Funding rounds, acquisitions and other capital transactions across robotics, autonomous systems and their enabling technologies.
Edition: 7–13 September 2026
Archive: true
Section: Major funding rounds
Company: Maven Robotics
Amount: $100M
Round: Series A
Date: Sep 10 2026
Source: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/10/3359782/0/en/maven-robotics-raises-100m-series-a-for-the-world-s-first-general-purpose-robotics-system-for-industrial-work.html
Profile: /ecosystem/company/maven-robotics
Maven Robotics emerged from stealth with a $100 million Series A led by RoboStrategy, with LocalGlobe, Vine Ventures and XTX Ventures among the investors. Founded in 2024 by Hamza and Khalid Derbas, the Santa Clara company builds mobile dual-arm robots for material handling and assembly in logistics and manufacturing.
Its initial work includes mixed-case palletising: combining boxes from different incoming pallets into the assortment required by an individual store. Maven connects robot operations with warehouse systems and feeds operational data back into training. The financing supports development and expansion of that industrial robotics system, including the hardware, software and deployment infrastructure needed to operate at customer sites.
Company: PHYMI
Amount: Nearly $100M
Round: Seed
Date: Sep 9 2026
Source: https://news.pedaily.cn/202609/568698.shtml
Profile: /ecosystem/company/phymi
PHYMI completed a seed round of nearly $100 million led by IDG Capital, with Yunqi Capital, DiDi, Fosun RZ Capital, Glory Ventures and Hesai participating. The company will fund core technology, real-world data infrastructure, product engineering, application development and team expansion.
Founded in 2026 by former DeepRoute.ai technical partner Nianqiu Liu, PHYMI is developing physical agents that combine movement and manipulation in changing environments. Its architecture separates models for perception and planning, robot hardware, interaction data and coordination between people and machines into BRAIN, BODY, DATA and LINK layers. The financing supports development of that integrated system for carrying out multi-step goals in the physical world.
Company: Antioch
Amount: $32M
Round: Series A
Date: Sep 8 2026
Source: https://antioch.com/blog/series-a
Profile: /ecosystem/company/antioch
Antioch raised a $32 million Series A led by Greylock, bringing total funding to $40.5 million including its earlier $8.5 million seed round. Greylock general partner Saam Motamedi joined the board.
The company builds simulation and evaluation infrastructure for physical autonomous systems. Its platform combines a customer’s hardware, sensors, software and operating conditions into a simulation environment that can run many scenarios in parallel. Teams can test a proposed model, controller or mechanical change, inspect failures and use real-world outcomes to calibrate the simulation before deploying an update to physical equipment. The financing supports development of that testing platform and hiring across engineering and commercial functions.
Company: Vecna Robotics
Amount: $31M
Round: Funding
Date: Sep 10 2026
Source: https://www.vecnarobotics.com/news/vecna-robotics-raises-31-million-to-meet-demand-for-flexible-dock-to-dock-automation/
Profile: /ecosystem/company/vecna-robotics
Vecna Robotics raised $31 million led by Unless, with Drive Capital, Tiger Global, Highland Capital Partners and Tectonic Ventures participating. The Massachusetts company will expand deployment teams and commercial activity while developing additional warehouse automation capabilities.
Vecna coordinates autonomous forklifts, tuggers and collaborative pallet jacks through its Pivotal software. Its CaseFlow system supports case picking, and the company says demand has more than doubled since its 2025 launch. The new development programme covers pallet stacking, de-stacking and trailer loading and unloading, extending automated material movement into storage and dock workflows. The announcement does not assign a named venture-round stage.
Company: SENAD
Amount: Nearly RMB200M
Round: New financing
Date: Sep 7 2026
Source: https://news.pedaily.cn/202609/568583.shtml
Profile: /ecosystem/company/senad
SENAD completed a financing of nearly RMB200 million from Wuliangye Fund, China-US Venture Capital, Industrial Securities Investment and Zhejiang Venture Technology. The company describes it as its fourth financing within six months, supporting further development and commercial rollout of autonomous loading and unloading robots.
Its iLoabot-M systems handle loading, unloading, sorting and depalletising in industrial logistics. The recently updated 2.0 platform is designed to work with a wider mix of products, using SENAD’s RobotInsight models to predict physical interactions and adjust manipulation. SENAD says its products are in commercial use across drinks, tobacco, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing, with overseas channels in Europe, North America and Japan.
Company: Qianjue Technology
Amount: Several hundred million RMB
Round: Series A+
Date: Sep 8 2026
Source: https://news.pedaily.cn/202609/568660.shtml
Profile: /ecosystem/company/qianjue-technology
Qianjue Technology completed a Series A+ of several hundred million RMB, with Oriza Holdings, Xiaoguang Capital, Xinneng Venture Capital, Inno Angel Fund, Jingming Capital and Future Frontier Ventures among the investors. Maple Pledge also invested and acted as financing adviser. The proceeds will support research, engineering and expansion into real-world applications.
Qianjue develops predictive world models that connect perception, planning and control across different robot bodies. The models predict task-relevant changes after an action and update the plan when objects, people or the environment change. Its modular architecture is intended to let robot developers adapt and upgrade particular capabilities without rebuilding the whole system, with validation spanning humanoids, wheeled manipulators and other embodiments.
Company: Wuwen Zhike
Amount: Several hundred million RMB
Round: Series A
Date: Sep 9 2026
Source: https://www.36kr.com/p/3974793522344197
Profile: /ecosystem/company/wuwen-zhike
Wuwen Zhike completed a Series A of several hundred million RMB led by Hongtai Fund. Hongshan Capital, CEC Digital Finance and Lion City Capital joined, with returning investors including Bridge Capital, Leaguer Finance, Leaguer Zhongke and Chengkai’s Lingcheng Future Fund. The company will expand world-model research, data production, simulation assets and evaluation tools.
Its Wuyin data platform and WuQiong simulator connect real-world activity capture with scene reconstruction, synthetic data, robot training and physical feedback. This lets customers use observations from actual tasks to build and evaluate simulated environments before returning learned behaviours to robots. Wuwen reports monthly data-production capacity above 20,000 hours and accumulated interaction data numbering in the hundreds of thousands of hours.
Company: Zongwei Technology
Amount: RMB200M
Round: Pre-C++
Date: Sep 9 2026
Source: https://news.pedaily.cn/202609/568717.shtml
Profile: /ecosystem/company/zongwei-automation
Zongwei Technology completed RMB200 million in Pre-C++ financing led by Matrix Partners China, with Shunwei Capital, BlueRun Ventures, Shengbao Capital and other existing investors participating. The funds will support product development, capacity expansion and international delivery and service.
Zongwei builds magnetic-drive transport systems that independently move workpieces through flexible production lines, alongside control software, drives, motors and encoders. Its expansion includes planar magnetic-levitation platforms for precision manufacturing and joint motors for humanoids, exoskeletons and collaborative arms. The company reports more than 2,000 implemented projects and over 90,000 metres of magnetic transport systems delivered, giving the financing an established industrial-motion business to expand.
Company: Huani Intelligent
Amount: Tens of millions of RMB
Round: Angel
Date: Sep 10 2026
Source: https://news.pedaily.cn/202609/568784.shtml
Profile: /ecosystem/company/huani-intelligent
Huani Intelligent completed angel financing of tens of millions of RMB from the Guangdong Academy of Sciences Foshan Industrial Technology Research Institute and Dongguan Sci-Tech Innovation Group. The capital will support core technology, manufacturing and delivery capability, and sales channels for selected applications.
The company develops lifelike robot heads combining facial mechanisms, flexible skin and multimodal perception. Its software interprets expressions, speech and emotional cues to produce responses and facial movement. Huani is initially targeting eldercare companionship, reception and exhibition guidance, using the head as an interaction system while developing products and subscription services around those applications.
Company: LinDong Bionic
Amount: More than RMB10M
Round: Pre-A
Date: Sep 7 2026
Source: https://news.pedaily.cn/202609/568592.shtml
Profile: /ecosystem/company/lindong-bionic
LinDong Bionic raised more than RMB10 million in Pre-A financing led by Jinqiao Fund, with returning investor MiraclePlus participating. The capital will support research, production preparation and commercialisation of consumer underwater robots, including an autonomous follow-camera product.
LinDong uses bionic propulsion, sensing and motion control to operate in water, where currents and changing visibility complicate navigation. Its product development spans educational robots, consumer filming and fishing applications, and longer-term aquaculture and inspection work. The company said it shipped more than 1,000 educational robots within three months of starting its mass-production processes in April 2026, providing an existing product base for the next consumer platform.
Section: Additional funding rounds
Company: Zichuang Zhixie
Amount: Tens of millions of RMB
Round: Financing
Date: Sep 7 2026
Source: https://www.cls.cn/detail/2475569
Profile: /ecosystem/company/zichuang-zhixie
Zichuang Zhixie announced financing of tens of millions of RMB from Yida Capital and industrial investors. Additional industrial parties were still evaluating or completing investments, so those prospective commitments are separate from the announced financing.
The Shanghai company develops physical-AI systems for autonomous loaders and excavators. Its software links task planning with machine control for work such as scooping and moving bulk materials at mines, ports and construction sites. Partnerships with XCMG HanYun and Shantui connect that intelligence with equipment manufacturers, supporting joint product development and field implementation. The financing advances automation of machinery whose work requires manipulating material as well as navigating a site.
Company: Yeats.AI
Amount: Undisclosed
Round: Pre-A
Date: Sep 11 2026
Source: https://news.pedaily.cn/202609/568861.shtml
Yeats.AI completed Pre-A financing co-led by Shenzhen Capital Group, CTC Capital, TCL Ventures and CAS Star, with Awinic, CDB Venture Capital, Chaohui Capital and other investors participating. The funds will support next-generation NPU hardware and software, chip fabrication and delivery, and model-compression research.
Yeats develops local AI computing for devices constrained by power, heat and memory, including robots and wearable systems. It designs the processor architecture, compiler and model-deployment tools together so different models can run within a common framework across several device classes. The financing advances that computing platform for agentic and physical-AI workloads without assigning an undisclosed round amount.
Section: Acquisitions
Company: Estun / Estun Codroid
Amount: RMB487.1M transaction consideration
Round: Completed acquisition
Date: Sep 7–8 2026
Status: Completed
Source: https://static.cninfo.com.cn/finalpage/2026-09-08/1225551229.PDF
Profile: /ecosystem/company/estun-automation
Estun completed the acquisition of Estun CoDroid through its wholly owned subsidiaries, bringing its indirect holding to 100%. The completion filing confirms transaction consideration of RMB487.1 million and the registration changes transferring the shares and partnership interests. CoDroid is now consolidated into Estun’s accounts.
CoDroid develops collaborative robots, embodied-intelligence robots and core components, including collaborative arms spanning 3–35 kg payloads. The acquisition brings that lighter robot portfolio into Estun’s industrial robotics group, with plans to coordinate product development, customer access and supply-chain operations. The transaction includes related-party interests and is a consolidation of ownership, rather than venture capital raised by CoDroid.
Section: Strategic investments
Company: Algomatic Dynamics
Amount: JPY5B
Round: DMM.com financing
Date: Sep 9 2026
Source: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000001.000186966.html
Profile: /ecosystem/company/algomatic-dynamics
Algomatic Dynamics secured JPY5 billion from DMM.com, its first financing since incorporation in April 2026. The Japanese company will invest in research hardware and computing resources as it develops robotics and Physical AI technology.
Its business combines motion-data collection, robot learning and integrated multi-finger hands. The company plans to package hand hardware with task-specific tuning, deployment and continuing maintenance, alongside work on biped control and entertainment robots. A domestic release of its AI multi-finger hand platform is planned during 2026. The funding backs that development programme; the platform was not yet a released product at the announcement date.
Company: Tianji Intelligent
Amount: Undisclosed
Round: Series B++ strategic financing
Date: Sep 8 2026
Source: https://news.pedaily.cn/202609/568677.shtml
Profile: /ecosystem/company/tianji-intelligent
Tianji Intelligent completed a Series B++ strategic financing co-led by Ant Group and Sofina, with returning investors Gaorong Capital and Tencent participating. The amount was not disclosed. Gao Hu Capital acted as exclusive financial adviser, and the proceeds will support research, scaled manufacturing and international delivery.
Tianji develops the sensing and actuation systems needed for robots to control contact with objects, including joint-torque sensors, integrated joints, force-control algorithms and humanoid arms. Its Gento programme extends that technology into complete humanoid platforms for robot training and applications. The September financing supports those products and manufacturing systems; the RMB1 billion associated with its May B and B+ financings is a separate earlier disclosure.
Company: AIDIN Robotics
Amount: KRW16B
Round: Strategic financing
Date: Sep 10 2026
Source: https://www.aidinrobotics.co.kr/post/에이딘로보틱스-hd현대로보틱스-삼성벤처투자서-160억-투자-유치-로봇핸드-공동개발
Profile: /ecosystem/company/aidin-robotics
AIDIN Robotics completed KRW16 billion in strategic financing from HD Hyundai Robotics and Samsung Venture Investment. It plans to use the capital for production equipment, quality validation and research staff, including a force-and-torque sensor manufacturing system with planned annual capacity of 30,000 units.
AIDIN and HD Hyundai will jointly develop a heavy-duty five-finger hand for HD Hyundai’s humanoid programme and surface-treatment automation for shipbuilding. AIDIN’s sensors and control software measure contact forces so robots can adjust pressure while processing uneven hull surfaces and welded sections. The partners plan to validate the technology in Korean shipyards before expanding overseas, including the United States; the sensor capacity and joint products are planned outcomes of the investment.
Section: Reported and pending acquisitions
Company: Analog Devices / Alif Semiconductor
Amount: $1.35B cash; up to $200M contingent
Round: Acquisition agreement
Date: Sep 9 2026
Status: Signed agreement — closing pending
Source: https://www.analog.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026/9-9-2026-adi-to-acquire-alif-semiconductor.html
Profile: /ecosystem/company/analog-devices
Analog Devices agreed to acquire Alif Semiconductor for $1.35 billion in cash at closing, with up to $200 million in additional contingent consideration. Closing is expected before the end of 2026, subject to customary conditions and the applicable U.S. antitrust waiting period.
Alif develops low-power microcontrollers and fusion processors that run AI and combine sensor inputs locally. These chips serve applications requiring responsive processing without continuously sending data to the cloud, including industrial systems and robotics. The agreement would add that edge-computing technology to Analog Devices’ sensing and signal-processing portfolio. The announced price is acquisition consideration, and ownership had not transferred at the recap date.
Company: First Hydrogen / Exodus Actuation Solutions
Amount: 2M shares; US$2M development funding
Round: 60% acquisition agreement
Date: Sep 9 2026
Status: Definitive agreement — TSXV acceptance pending
Source: https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/313583
Profile: /ecosystem/company/first-hydrogen
First Hydrogen signed a definitive agreement to acquire 60% of Exodus Actuation Solutions. The terms include two million First Hydrogen common shares and US$2 million in staged development funding. The transaction remains subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance and closing.
Exodus owns or licenses 26 issued and ten pending patents covering motors, gearboxes and actuation technology, with more than 500 motors and gearboxes manufactured and shipped. Its designs address torque density, efficiency, backdrivability and compact packaging for robotics and other automated equipment. First Hydrogen plans to use that technology across its automation and energy businesses. The share consideration and development commitment are distinct parts of the proposed transaction.
Company: Gold Orange / Zhibotek
Amount: Undisclosed
Round: Proposed control acquisition
Date: Sep 7 2026
Status: Proposed transaction — not completed
Source: https://www.stcn.com/article/detail/4175363.html
Gold Orange announced plans to acquire control of Zhibotek through shares and cash, alongside a supporting capital raise. Trading was suspended from September 8 while the company prepared the potential restructuring. Price, final terms and closing were not established at the September 13 recap date.
Zhibotek develops motion-control cards and software, machine-vision systems, industrial-robot control systems and automation components. Gold Orange’s laser-control business would gain related motion and vision technology if the acquisition proceeded. The event remains a proposed corporate transaction, so neither the purchase nor the contemplated supporting financing belongs in completed funding totals.
Section: Reported and pending financings
Company: Bear Robotics
Amount: Up to KRW400B sought
Round: Reported pre-IPO financing
Date: Sep 7 2026
Status: Reported fundraising — no completed round
Source: https://en.sedaily.com/news/2026/09/07/lg-electronics-unit-bear-robotics-launches-pre-ipo-round
Profile: /ecosystem/company/bear-robotics
Bear Robotics is seeking up to KRW400 billion in pre-IPO funding, according to Seoul Economic Daily’s reporting from investment-banking sources. Bank of America is arranging institutional-investor outreach ahead of a planned Nasdaq listing. The report describes prospective fundraising and a potential listing valuation, rather than a completed investment.
The LG Electronics-controlled company supplies Servi restaurant robots and is expanding into industrial autonomous mobile robots for logistics and manufacturing. Its June acquisition of Britain’s Kinisi Robotics added robot-arm technology to that programme. The contemplated financing would support a business broadening beyond hospitality, but the amount sought should not be included in completed funding totals.
Company: Mecka
Amount: Round size undisclosed
Round: Reported financing talks
Date: Sep 11 2026
Status: Terms under negotiation
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/11/mecka-ai-nears-500m-valuation-in-sequoia-led-deal-amid-rush-for-robot-training-data/
Profile: /ecosystem/company/mecka-ai
Mecka is nearing a Sequoia-led financing at a valuation of roughly $500 million, according to TechCrunch’s report citing two people familiar with the talks. The proposed round size was not reported, and terms were not final. The valuation is a negotiated company value rather than capital raised.
Mecka pays people to record everyday physical tasks using body sensors and smartphones, then processes the demonstrations into data for training humanoid and other robot models. The talks follow its June disclosure of $60 million in earlier financing led by Framework Ventures. This entry records the September negotiations at their historical status, without treating a later financing announcement as already completed.
Section: Public-market financings
Company: Excelland Robotics
Amount: HK$576.6M net proceeds
Round: Hong Kong IPO
Date: Sep 9 2026
Source: https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2026/0908/2026090800985.pdf
Profile: /ecosystem/company/excelland-robotics
Excelland Robotics began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under stock code 03231 following an offering of 45 million H shares at HK$14.45 each. The allotment announcement gives gross proceeds of approximately HK$650.2 million and net proceeds of HK$576.6 million after estimated listing expenses.
The Wuxi company supplies commercial service robots for delivery, cleaning and unmanned retail, alongside AI-vision solutions and robot service and leasing models. The public offering provides capital for its next stage of development and expansion. The per-share offer price is distinct from the money raised, so the capital figure in this recap is the disclosed net proceeds.
Section: Cumulative funding disclosures
Company: Kinetix AI
Amount: More than RMB500M across Angel+ financings
Round: Angel+ series
Date: Sep 11 2026
Source: https://t.cj.sina.com.cn/articles/view/7294209083/1b2c4cc3b00101vuw4
Profile: /ecosystem/company/kinetix-ai
Kinetix AI disclosed more than RMB500 million across a series of Angel+ financings, with investors including Vertex Ventures, Fangguang Capital and Wanshi Capital. The figure covers the financing series rather than establishing a single newly closed tranche. The Shenzhen company will accelerate development of its hardware, models and data infrastructure.
Kinetix introduced its full-size KaiBot humanoid in April and is developing dexterous hands alongside first-person data collection and world models. Its strategy is to build hardware close to human proportions so learned behaviours can use human motion data and operate in spaces already designed for people. The funding supports iteration across those connected development programmes and the work needed to turn them into commercial products.
Company: Westlake Robotics
Amount: Several hundred million RMB across A-series
Round: Series A and A1 disclosure
Date: Sep 11 2026
Source: https://news.pedaily.cn/202609/568878.shtml
Profile: /ecosystem/company/westlake-robotics
Westlake Robotics completed an A1 financing following its August Series A. Its announcement describes several hundred million RMB across the A-series, with investors including Haiyuan Capital, Cuiwei Fund, Inno Valley Capital, Westlake Sci-Tech Investment and Zhongshan Venture Capital. It does not assign that combined amount specifically to the new A1 tranche.
The capital supports WR1, its foundation model integrating whole-body movement and manipulation, alongside commercial expansion and hiring. Westlake collects physical robot data through pilots in areas including research and education, entertainment, power inspection, emergency response and textiles. Those observations feed model development intended to connect understanding of the environment with coordinated robot action.