TMTPOST -- Bridgedp Robotics (Shenzhen) Technology Co., a developer of general-purpose robot motion control systems, has secured nearly 100 million yuan (US$13.8 million) across three funding rounds in the past six months, as China’s embodied intelligence sector heats up.

The company said it recently closed its Angel+ and Pre-A rounds. Investors in the Angel+ round included Fosun Chuangfu and Potential Group, while the Pre-A round was led by Hidden Hill Capital with participation from Minghui Zhiyuan, Yijing Capital and others.

Proceeds will fund R&D for its general-purpose robot action development platform, product upgrades, and hiring, founder and Chief Executive Officer Shang Yangxing said at the World Robot Conference in Beijing.

Founded in May 2023, Bridgedp Robotics is building what it calls a “cerebellum” for robots — a motion control system covering reinforcement and imitation learning, simulation-based control, motion data analytics, and Sim2Real (simulation-to-reality) capabilities. Its core team, averaging 26 years old, hails from institutions including Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, and Beihang University. Shang, born in 1999, started the firm while studying under Professor Zhang Wei, founder of robotics company LimX Dynamics.

The company already counts 16 humanoid, quadruped and wheeled robot makers among its clients. Its motion control offerings include omnidirectional solutions — enabling forward, backward, sideways and in-place rotation as well as complex actions like human-like gaits and stair climbing — and full-body imitation systems for humanoids, which can mimic dance routines or martial arts.

Bridgedp Robotics is shifting from project-based delivery to a licensing, service-fee and subscription model. The startup aims to make robot motion capability “as simple as assembling a computer,” Shang said, adding that its internally used general-purpose motion development platform will be launched commercially.

China’s robotics investment boom has intensified since June, with firms such as Booster Robotics, DexForce, and Galaxea AI announcing new financings. E-commerce giant JD.com has invested in several robotics companies, while Unitree has begun an IPO process. Shang expects more practical human-robot interaction solutions to emerge within three years.