China’s startup world never slows down. Every month, new companies appear with bold ideas and bigger ambitions. However, only a few manage to stand out in crowded fields like artificial intelligence and robotics. Zhijian Power is one of them.
Founded by former executives from Li Auto, Zhijian Power focuses on embodied AI. This form of artificial intelligence lives inside machines that move and interact with the physical world. Instead of building another software platform, the company builds intelligence with a body.
As a result, investors now place Zhijian Power among the most promising robotics startups in China. Reports suggest the company nears unicorn valuation. That level of confidence comes from more than hype. It comes from experience, timing, and a powerful vision.
From Electric Cars to Intelligent Robots
Zhijian Power began with a simple question. What happens when autonomous driving experts turn their attention to robots?
The founders spent years at Li Auto working on self-driving systems. They learned how machines see roads, predict motion, and make split-second choices. Eventually, they realized those same skills could work beyond cars.
Therefore, instead of staying in the auto industry, they chose to enter robotics. They wanted to create machines that could understand space, objects, and human behavior.
This shift did not come from curiosity alone. It came from opportunity. Autonomous driving had reached maturity. Meanwhile, embodied AI remained wide open.
Thus, Zhijian Power was born.
Understanding Embodied AI
To understand Zhijian Power, one must understand embodied AI.
Traditional AI lives inside computers. It processes text, images, and data. Embodied AI goes further. It connects intelligence to motion.
A robot powered by embodied AI can see an object, plan how to reach it, and move its arm to grab it. In addition, it learns from success and failure.
This approach combines vision, language, motion control, and decision-making into one system. Consequently, the robot behaves less like a machine and more like a learner.
Zhijian Power believes this type of intelligence will define the next era of AI. While chatbots change how people work online, robots will change how work happens in the physical world.
Why the Li Auto Background Matters
Experience matters deeply in robotics. Hardware leaves little room for mistakes. Software must work in real time. Safety becomes a daily concern.
The founders of Zhijian Power did not arrive as beginners. They came from one of China’s most advanced electric vehicle companies. At Li Auto, they handled massive sensor data, real-world testing, and high-risk systems.
Because of that background, they brought strong engineering discipline with them. They also brought a culture of precision and speed.
Moreover, their reputation opened doors. Investors trusted their track record. Partners trusted their technical depth. Engineers trusted their leadership.
As a result, Zhijian Power skipped the fragile early stage that traps many robotics startups.
The Company’s Core Mission
Zhijian Power does not want to sell toys or novelty robots. Instead, it wants to build a general intelligence system for machines.
Its mission centers on one idea: create a unified brain that any robot can use.
Rather than programming every task by hand, the company trains robots to learn through experience. This mirrors how humans learn to walk, lift, and adapt.
In other words, Zhijian Power wants robots to think before they act.
This mission pushes the company beyond hardware. It places software and data at the heart of its strategy.
Building a Robotic Brain
Zhijian Power treats robots as physical shells. Intelligence defines their value.
The company develops perception systems that understand depth, shape, and movement. It also builds decision engines that plan actions step by step. Furthermore, it creates motor control software for smooth and safe motion.
Training happens both in simulation and in real environments. Robots practice thousands of times in virtual worlds before touching real objects. Consequently, learning speeds up while costs drop.
Each robot also generates new data. That data feeds back into the system. Over time, the intelligence grows stronger.
Thus, Zhijian Power creates a loop of learning that compounds with scale.
The Role of Data
Data drives every modern AI company. For embodied AI, data becomes even more critical.
Zhijian Power gathers information from cameras, sensors, and movement logs. The company then uses this data to train models that understand how objects behave.
For example, a robot must learn that glass breaks easily while metal resists force. It must also learn that humans move unpredictably.
Therefore, the company invests heavily in collecting diverse environments. Factories, warehouses, and labs all serve as classrooms for its machines.
In contrast to traditional robotics, which relies on fixed rules, Zhijian Power relies on learning.
Funding and Valuation Momentum
Money follows momentum. Zhijian Power raised several rounds of funding from major Chinese investors. Reports now place its valuation close to one billion dollars.
This interest comes from three major forces.
First, large AI models now allow robots to reason better than ever before. Second, labor shortages push industries toward automation. Third, China prioritizes intelligent manufacturing at a national level.
Together, these trends make embodied AI attractive and urgent.
Therefore, Zhijian Power sits at the center of both market demand and government strategy.
A Crowded Competitive Field
Zhijian Power does not operate alone. China hosts dozens of robotics and embodied AI startups. Globally, companies like Tesla, Figure AI, and Sanctuary AI pursue similar goals.
However, Zhijian Power takes a different path. Instead of focusing on humanoid appearance, it focuses on intelligence.
Some rivals sell robots as products. Zhijian Power sells capability as a platform.
This difference may prove decisive. In the long run, software scales faster than hardware.
Consequently, Zhijian Power positions itself like an operating system for machines.
China’s Strategic Environment
China faces a major challenge: an aging population and shrinking workforce. Automation offers a solution.
The government promotes smart factories, AI research, and robotics development. Companies that align with this vision gain policy support and market access.
Zhijian Power fits perfectly into this landscape. It develops domestic core technology. It reduces dependence on foreign systems.
As a result, it benefits from partnerships with state-owned firms and industrial groups.
Challenges Ahead
Despite strong momentum, Zhijian Power faces serious obstacles.
Robotics costs remain high. Hardware breaks. Environments change. Safety standards grow stricter.
Moreover, embodied AI remains one of the hardest problems in science. Teaching a machine to understand the physical world takes enormous time and money.
Talent also presents a challenge. Engineers with both AI and robotics skills remain rare. Big tech companies compete aggressively for the same people.
Therefore, success depends not only on vision but also on execution.
The Talent War
Zhijian Power recruits from top universities and former autonomous driving teams. The founders use their Li Auto networks to attract skilled engineers.
What draws talent is not just salary. It is purpose.
Many engineers want to work on systems that move and touch the world. Embodied AI offers visible impact. A robot lifting a box feels more real than a line of code.
Thus, Zhijian Power builds a culture around experimentation and long-term thinking.
A Long-Term Vision of General Intelligence
Zhijian Power does not hide its ambition. It wants to create general embodied intelligence.
This vision resembles what large language models achieved for text. The company imagines a model that understands motion, space, and tasks.
One day, a robot might watch a human clean a table and learn the task instantly. Another robot could repeat it elsewhere.
Such sharing of knowledge could change every physical industry.
Ultimately, Zhijian Power seeks to build the foundation layer for intelligent machines.
Why Zhijian Power Matters
Zhijian Power represents a shift in artificial intelligence.
First, AI learned to process data.
Then, AI learned to generate content.
Now, AI learns to act.
This step changes everything. Machines will not only advise humans. They will work alongside them.
Factories will become smarter. Warehouses will become safer. Homes may one day host intelligent assistants with real bodies.
Zhijian Power wants to lead that change.
A Startup in Question
Every great startup faces uncertainty. Zhijian Power stands at an early but powerful moment in its journey.
It holds strong leadership, solid funding, and a bold mission. At the same time, it operates in one of the toughest technical fields in the world.
If it succeeds, it could shape China’s embodied AI industry for years. If it fails, its ideas will still influence how robots learn and move.
Either way, the company already raises an important question for our time.
Can intelligence leave the screen and enter the real world?
Zhijian Power believes it can. And it is building the future to prove it.
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