Nestled along the scenic Shenzhen Bay, a lesser-known tech hub is emerging as a pivotal force in China’s robotics landscape. While the “Robot Valley” in Nanshan’s Xili district has garnered significant attention, the “Robot Bay”—located just a stone’s throw away—has quietly become a hotbed for embodied robot innovation, brimming with cutting-edge enterprises, robust supply chains, and ambitious technological breakthroughs.
Thriving Ecosystem Along the Bay
The Robot Bay spans approximately 10 square kilometers in the Yuehai Street area and adjacent Shenzhen Science and Technology Park, west of Shenzhen Bay. Here, a constellation of robot enterprises—including Zhongqing Robotics, Digital China, and Galaxy Universal—has clustered, their collective presence elevating the bay’s technological stature.
The Rise of Embodied Robotics Players
Digital China, a standout in the Robot Bay, has made waves with its dual-mode humanoid robot, “Starwalker® P01.” Standing at a compact height, the robot features a friendly interface with circular digital eyes and an embedded embodied intelligence system, enabling it to communicate in over 10 dialects and international languages. Its unique design allows seamless switching between bipedal movement and a “wind-fire wheel” chassis, catering to commercial applications in retail, exhibitions, and education.
Founded just over a year ago, Digital China has already launched three humanoid robot models, a testament to Shenzhen’s robust supply chain ecosystem. “We can quickly source components like batteries, motors, and cameras locally, accelerating our commercialization pace,” noted Wu Wei, the company’s General Manager of Public Relations and Government Affairs. The city’s abundant research resources and financial support have also been instrumental in driving continuous R&D investment.
Zhongqing Robotics, another Robot Bay resident, has captured social media attention with its humanoid robots performing impressive front flips and even the “Axe Gang” dance. Founded by Zhao Tongyang, the company scaled from a one-person team to a 50-strong workforce in under two years, assembling a core team covering ontology design, algorithm development, and supply chain management.
“Shenzhen’s efficient supply chain, entrepreneurial ecosystem, and manufacturing prowess have drastically reduced the time from concept to product launch,” Zhao emphasized. This agility is critical in the embodied robotics sector, where first-mover advantage can define market leadership.
The Engine Behind the Innovation: Supply Chains and Policy Support
The Robot Bay’s success hinges on Shenzhen’s unparalleled industrial infrastructure. The city’s dense network of suppliers allows startups to prototype and iterate rapidly, a luxury rare in other global tech hubs. For instance, when developing new embodied robots, companies can source specialized parts within hours, eliminating the delays common in regions with fragmented supply chains.
Government policies have further fueled this growth. The Shenzhen Embodied Intelligent Robot Technology Innovation and Industry Development Action Plan (2025-2027) employs mechanisms like “challenger listing” to support key technology breakthroughs, open application scenarios, and build specialized datasets. Additionally, the “training power voucher” program provides enterprises, universities, and research institutions with subsidized access to intelligent computing power, accelerating embodied intelligence model training and technical R&D.
This strategic support has created a virtuous cycle: better 算力 (computing power) access enables faster model optimization, while policy-backed 场景 (scenarios) allow robots to refine their capabilities in real-world applications. As a result, Robot Bay enterprises are pushing the boundaries of embodied intelligence, from natural language interaction to dynamic locomotion.
The Road Ahead: Scaling Innovation and Global Ambitions
From the Robot Valley to the Robot Bay, Shenzhen’s robot enterprises are forming a cohesive industrial chain, each bringing unique expertise to the table. For embodied robotics—a field where machines must interact intuitively with physical environments—this collaboration is crucial. The “含深率” (Shenzhen involvement rate) in humanoid robots continues to rise, reflecting the city’s growing dominance in both hardware and software development.
Looking forward, Shenzhen aims to solidify its role as a global embodied robotics leader through three key strategies: refining top-level industrial planning, nurturing market players of all sizes, and accelerating core technology breakthroughs. The goal is to foster a vibrant ecosystem where leading enterprises, SMEs, and startups can co-innovate, driving forth new technologies and applications.
The Robot Bay, in particular, is positioned to play a starring role. Its proximity to elite research institutions like the Shenzhen Graduate School of Tsinghua University and abundant venture capital creates a fertile ground for next-generation embodied robots. Whether it’s robots navigating complex urban environments, assisting in healthcare, or enhancing industrial productivity, the innovations born here are set to reshape how humanity interacts with intelligent machines.
Conclusion: A New Chapter in Shenzhen’s Tech Odyssey
Shenzhen’s journey from a manufacturing hub to a global tech innovator has been nothing short of remarkable, and the Robot Bay stands as a testament to its latest evolution. In this corner of the city, where the blue waters of the bay meet cutting-edge labs and startup offices, embodied robotics is not just a technology—it’s a movement.
As Zhongqing Robotics flips across social media feeds and Digital China’s Starwalker engages in multilingual conversations, these machines embody (quite literally) Shenzhen’s spirit of relentless innovation. With policy support, supply chain excellence, and a community of visionary entrepreneurs, the Robot Bay is poised to lead the world into an era where embodied intelligence transforms every aspect of daily life. For now, the world is watching—and Shenzhen is ready to deliver.