Wang Xingxing (Unitree)
Chinese engineer and entrepreneur; founder and chief executive of Unitree Robotics
| Wang Xingxing
| |
|---|---|
| Image | Error creating thumbnail: File with dimensions greater than 12.5 MP Wang at Unitree's World Physical AI Conference in Hangzhou, October 2026 |
| Born | 1990 (Forbes) Ningbo, Zhejiang, China |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Residence | Hangzhou, China (Forbes) |
| Occupation | Engineer and entrepreneur |
| Known for | Unitree Robotics |
| Education | Zhejiang Sci-Tech University; Shanghai University (master's) (Forbes) |
Wang Xingxing (born 1990) is a Chinese engineer and entrepreneur. He is chairman, chief executive and chief technology officer of the Hangzhou-based robot maker Hangzhou Yushu Technology, known as Unitree, which he founded in 2016.[1] On 10 November 2026 the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list ranked Wang 213th in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$13.8 billion; Forbes lists the source of wealth as robotics.[1][2] Unitree listed on the Shanghai STAR Market in August 2026. It raised about 6.1 billion yuan (US$904 million), and its shares closed 460% above the offer price on the first day.[3] In February 2025 Wang sat in the front row at President Xi Jinping's symposium with private entrepreneurs.[4][5]
Early life and education
Wang was born in 1990 in Ningbo, Zhejiang. According to the South China Morning Post article republished by The Star, Chinese media reports say he built model aircraft as a child and was assembling miniature turbojet engines by middle school. The article also says he struggled with English.[4] In 2009 he began studying mechatronics engineering at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University in Hangzhou, and in 2011 he received his first patent, for a "multi-force feedback device for fingers". He began a master's degree at Shanghai University in 2013.[4] In 2015 he spent about 20,000 yuan on a prototype four-legged robot, XDog. He used electric motors rather than the hydraulic systems of Boston Dynamics.[4]
Unitree
After graduating in 2016 Wang worked briefly at the drone maker DJI. Helped by 2 million yuan from an angel investor, he started Unitree in August 2016.[4][1] The name combines "universe" and "tree".[4] In 2025 the company employed nearly 500 people in Hangzhou's Binjiang district.[4] Forbes says Unitree has developed more than a dozen models, including humanoids and four-legged robot dogs, and sells them worldwide. Its products include the GD01, a transformable mecha more than 3 metres tall that carries a human pilot.[1] Its humanoid robots performed a folk dance at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala in early 2025 and backflips at the 2026 gala.[4][5]
Listing
AP reported that Unitree raised about 6.1 billion yuan (US$904 million) on the STAR Market at 150.80 yuan a share. The shares rose as much as 629% on the first day and closed at 845 yuan.[3] Forbes gives the amount raised as US$905 million, and Fortune as US$900 million at a valuation of US$9 billion. Fortune reported that the company was valued at US$66 billion once trading opened, and that the shares fell about 19% the next day.[1][5] Unitree reported revenue of about 1.7 billion yuan (about US$250 million) for 2025, more than 40% of it from outside China. The United States accounted for about 13%. AP noted that this was before the Federal Communications Commission banned imports of new foreign-made humanoid and four-legged robots in July 2026 on national security grounds.[3] Speaking at the World Robot Conference in August 2026, Wang said the industry's "ChatGPT moment" could take "2 to 3 years at the fastest, and 5 or even 10 years at the slowest".[5]
Political links
In February 2025 Wang attended Xi Jinping's symposium with private entrepreneurs. He was the youngest of a group that included Ren Zhengfei, Jack Ma and Pony Ma.[4] Fortune said he was one of a handful of executives in the front row, alongside BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu and Ren Zhengfei.[5]
Wealth
Forbes classes Wang as self-made, with wealth from robotics.[1]
Wealth history
This entry does not appear in any of the annual Forbes World's Billionaires list editions from 2001 to 2026 checked for this profile; the figures above come from the Real-Time Billionaires list.[6][2]
International and political links
This section uses the same ten headings for every profile in this series. Only specific, sourced actions are included; company-level and foundation-level actions are labelled as such. Where nothing was found, the entry reads "No documented involvement found in sources checked."
Israel (investments, operations, donations, contracts, statements)
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Zionist or pro-Israel organisations and lobbying groups
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Jewish communal charities
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Gulf states
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
China
Wang sat in the front row at Xi Jinping's February 2025 symposium with private entrepreneurs.[4][5] AP says Chinese leaders have made robots a development priority.[3]
Russia
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
India
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Palestinian or Arab causes
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Home government
Unitree is listed in Shanghai and based in Hangzhou.[3][4]
Other international links
In 2025 the United States accounted for about 13% of Unitree's revenue. The FCC then barred imports of new foreign-made humanoid and four-legged robots in July 2026, and Unitree said the ban applied to its new models.[3]
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Forbes, Forbes profile record for Wang Xingxing (Forbes data feed behind forbes.com/profile/wang-xingxing/) Forbes, live record, read 10 November 2026, accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Forbes, Forbes Real-Time Billionaires data feed Forbes, live; downloaded 10 November 2026 23:28 UTC, accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Chan Ho-him, Shares in Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree soar in its Shanghai trading debut AP News, 19 August 2026, accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Wency Chen, Meet Wang Xingxing, the young Chinese robotics star from Unitree at Xi Jinping’s symposium The Star (from the South China Morning Post), 21 February 2025, accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, CEO of viral backflipping robot company says robots are still years from ‘ChatGPT moment,’ even after investors sent his stock soaring 460% Fortune, 21 August 2026, accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ Forbes, Forbes World's Billionaires list data feed, annual editions 2001–2026 (one file per year at this path with the year substituted; all 26 files downloaded and read) Forbes, annual lists; downloaded 20 October 2026, accessed 10 November 2026.