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TMTPOST -- Robot Phoenix, a rising star in China’s industrial robotics sector, has filed for a Hong Kong IPO as the country’s drive to develop “embodied intelligence” gains momentum and the city’s listing market shows signs of revival.

The Zhejiang-based company submitted its prospectus to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under Chapter 18C, aiming to become the first “all-category light industry robotics” stock listed in the city. The move underscores a broader capitalization wave sweeping through China’s robotics landscape, following the inclusion of embodied intelligence in China’s 2025 government work report.

Founded in 2012, Robot Phoenix has evolved into a comprehensive robotics firm that designs, manufactures, and deploys smart automation solutions. According to Frost & Sullivan, it ranks fifth in China’s light industrial robotics space by 2024 revenue, operating in sectors from consumer electronics and healthcare to automotive components and semiconductors.

Robot Phoenix’s public listing comes as Chinese brands surpass a 50% share of the industrial robotics market, marking a turning point in a field long dominated by foreign incumbents. The company’s full-stack approach combines robotics hardware with core systems—its self-developed “brain, eyes, hands, and feet” technology modules—for integrated sensing, decision-making, and mobility.

Its product portfolio includes six-axis robots, SCARA robots, wafer handlers, and mobile robots tailored to China’s light industry needs. Flagship products such as the Python-series SCARA robots meet ISO Class 4 cleanroom standards, while its Lobster-series wafer robots are TVSEMI-certified and capable of operating in ISO Class 1 environments.

Robot Phoenix also delivers customized turnkey automation systems for tasks including sorting, assembly, pick-and-place, and adhesive dispensing, backed by proprietary control and vision systems.

From 2022 to 2024, Robot Phoenix posted a compound annual revenue growth rate (CAGR) of 28.5%, with sales rising from RMB 162 million to RMB 268 million. Gross margin recovered to 26.5% in 2024 after dipping the previous year. The company’s customer base expanded from 69 to 275 direct sales clients across China and 20 overseas markets, including North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Key clients include the world’s largest smartphone display manufacturer, a global synthetic biology leader, and a major new energy vehicle maker. In 2024, overseas revenue reached RMB 25.5 million—around 9.5% of total sales. As of June 2025, the company’s order backlog exceeded RMB 400 million.

Yet despite high growth, profitability remains a challenge. Intense price competition and high R&D costs continue to weigh on the sector.

Robot Phoenix’s IPO comes as China’s industrial robotics market accelerates. Frost & Sullivan projects the market will grow from RMB 56.8 billion in 2024 to RMB 121.6 billion by 2029 (CAGR of 16.7%). The market for integrated solutions is expected to surge from RMB 192.9 billion to RMB 474.5 billion in the same period.

Light industry applications are a particular bright spot, with robot sales expected to reach RMB 43.8 billion by 2029, up from RMB 20.9 billion in 2024. The solutions segment is forecast to nearly triple to RMB 171 billion.

Robot Phoenix’s emphasis on proprietary full-stack technology positions it to benefit from this boom. The company claims millisecond-level coordination across perception and control systems and has cut AI visual inspection false positive rates in 3C electronics from 5% to 0.1%, enabling fully automated quality checks.

Backed by investors including Broad Capital, Tsingke Ginkgo, Ivy Capital, and Primavera Capital, Robot Phoenix secured a RMB 3.6 billion valuation in its latest funding round. Proceeds from the IPO will go toward R&D, production capacity expansion, overseas business development, and supply chain integration.

The company is also helping set domestic industry benchmarks, including standards for SCARA robot precision—part of its effort to move China’s robotics sector beyond “price-only competition.”

As it prepares to list, Robot Phoenix is emblematic of China’s broader industrial pivot: from import substitution to becoming a global rule-maker in automation. Whether it can replicate the success of global leaders like Fanuc may hinge on its ability to commercialize advanced technology while defending margins in an increasingly crowded field.

For now, the market is watching if Robot Phoenix can do more than ride the automation wave—and instead, help define it.