Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

UBTECH, a Shenzhen-based pioneer in humanoid robotics, has been highlighted as a pivotal player in Morgan Stanley’s list of companies driving humanoid robot development.

The international investment bank recently released the “Humanoid 100: Mapping the Humanoid Robot Value Chain,” a comprehensive list of global companies poised to benefit from the growth of humanoid robots.

A total of 37 Chinese enterprises are on the list, including seven from Shenzhen. These firms include BYD, Tencent, UBTECH, RoboSense, Leadshine, ZHAOWEI, and Inovance, and UBTECH is the only Chinese company that focuses on humanoid robotics.

The list categorizes companies into three groups: brain, dody, and integrators. The “brain” group features AI and semiconductor leaders like NVIDIA, Alphabet, and Microsoft, which develop computing power and AI models essential for robotic intelligence.

The “body” group includes hardware suppliers such as Tesla, ABB, and LG Energy Solution, which provide sensors, actuators, and battery technology crucial for humanoid function.

The “integrators” group highlights companies actively building humanoid robots or possessing the capability to do so, with Tesla, BYD, UBTECH, Tencent, and Xiaomi leading development efforts.

The comprehensive report identifies UBTECH as one of the companies worldwide that are “closest to realizing genuine humanoid robots.” UBTECH’s impressive patent portfolio underscores its leading position in the industry.

Over the past five years, the company has filed for 59 robotics patents in the U.S., ranking second globally — trailing only Boston Dynamics — while significantly outpacing international behemoths like Sony and Google.

As of June 2024, UBTECH’s patent tally had exceeded 2,450, with over 450 being international patents, nearly 60% of which are invention patents, according to the company.

Morgan Stanley’s analysis of the global humanoid robotics industrial chain shows that 73% of participating firms are based in Asia, with China accounting for 56% of this contingent.

The report forecasts that as supply chains mature and production scales up, the average selling price of humanoid robots will decline by an annual rate of 8%, while the bill of materials will drop by 11%.

Buoyed by these trends, the report is optimistic about the Chinese humanoid robot market, predicting it will swell to 12 billion yuan (US$1.64 billion) by 2030 and surpass 6 trillion yuan by 2050, boasting an annual compound growth rate of over 30%.