Ant Group, an affiliate of Alibaba, is aggressively expanding its investment in humanoid robotics, recently leading a $73.58 million funding round for startup Zeroth. This marks the 12th company Ant has invested in within the sector since early 2025, showcasing a significant strategic pivot towards advanced robotics.
The fintech giant has also launched its own AI and robotics-friendly version of its popular Alipay mobile payments service, signaling deeper integration plans for its technology with the growing robotics industry.
Ant Group Accelerates Humanoid Robot Push with $73M Investment in Zeroth, 11th Deal in 18 Months
BEIJING — Ant Group, the fintech giant affiliated with Alibaba, is significantly expanding its footprint in the burgeoning humanoid robotics sector, marking its 12th investment in the field since early 2025 with a substantial funding round in robotics startup Zeroth.
Zeroth W1, produced by Lexiang Technology, has obtained the Wall-E IP authorization for the Disney animated film "RoboCop" and will be unveiled at AWE 2026 in Shanghai, China on March 15, 2026. (Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images)
Ant Group spearheaded a 500 million yuan ($73.58 million) funding round for Zeroth, a startup focused on developing humanoid robots. This strategic investment underscores Ant's aggressive diversification strategy following the halt of its IPO in 2020. Since then, the company has launched new ventures including a healthcare services app, its own AI models, and a dedicated humanoid robot subsidiary, RobbyAnt, which has already developed its own robot.
The PitchBook data, analyzed by CNBC, reveals a consistent pattern of acquisitions and investments by Ant Group in the robotics ecosystem. These investments span a range of companies, including humanoid robotics firms like Galaxea and Unitree, as well as crucial component and software developers such as Linkerbot, Hypershell, and Genrobot AI. This latest investment in Zeroth is part of a pre-Series A raise that brings the startup's total funding to 1 billion yuan.
Zeroth's founder, Guo Renjie, highlighted the company's focus on integrating expertise from the smartphone chip industry, noting that their current robots utilize chips from Horizon Robotics. Zeroth, also known as Suzhou JoyIn Intelligent Technology, was established in late 2024 and plans a phased rollout of humanoid robots for domestic use. Initially, the company will focus on companion robots for elder and pet care, followed by educational robots for children.
Zeroth has reported significant traction, with over 30,000 units ordered and a 600% surge in operating revenue in the first half of the year. The company is also preparing for international expansion, aiming for North American and European markets this fall, pending regulatory approvals.
Ant Group's intensified focus on humanoid robotics coincides with a broader surge of interest in the sector within China. Tech giant Nvidia recently announced its expansion of robotics-related roles in major Chinese cities, indicating a growing competitive landscape and collaborative opportunities in this advanced technology field.
Key Points
Ant Group led a 500 million yuan ($73.58 million) funding round in humanoid robotics company Zeroth.
This marks Ant's 12th investment in the robotics sector since the beginning of 2025, according to CNBC analysis of PitchBook data.
Ant has released an AI and robotics-friendly version of its Alipay mobile payments service.
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