The $6 Billion Chinese Startup Trying to Build Hands for Every Robot

LinkerBot manufactures dexterous humanoid robot hands with five fingers and at least 11 joints, sold for as little as $600 in China. The hands can perform tasks such as playing piano, threading needles, tightening screws, and assembling electronics. The founder predicts the price could fall to $200 within three to five years and that people could own about ten robots on average. The article frames robot hands as the main engineering challenge for humanoids, with major demand for such components. LinkerBot shipped 10,000 robotic hands last year, claiming 80% of worldwide demand, and serves research labs, manufacturers, and other humanoid robot makers. The company has raised multiple funding rounds quickly and is seeking additional financing at a $6 billion valuation.

"The startup's hardware comes complete with five fingers and at least 11 joints and is sold for as little as $600 in China. LinkerBot's hands can play piano, thread needles, tighten screws, and assemble electronics. In three to five years, Zhou predicts, the price for one will fall to just $200. Eventually, "everyone will own ten robots on average," Zhou said in an exclusive interview with WIRED."

"Marketing spectacles like the humanoid robot marathon in Beijing have drawn attention to robots' legs, but the real frontier in humanoids is hands. "The hands are the majority of the engineering difficulty of the entire robot," Elon Musk said at an event last fall. Founded in 2023, LinkerBot has quickly emerged as a market leader in the space."

"The company says it shipped 10,000 robotic hands last year, representing 80 percent of worldwide demand. Its clients include research labs, manufacturers, and other humanoid robot makers. The startup is also a venture capital darling: It completed six rounds of fundraising in just 13 months from investors including the Chinese government, Alibaba's Ant Group, and HongShan Capital, Sequoia Capital's Chinese spinoff."

"LinkerBot is now seeking another round of financing at a $6 billion valuation, double what the company said it was worth only a few months ago. And it's reportedly exploring going public in Hong Kong, according to Bloomberg. (Zhou declined to comment on the rumored plans.)"

Read at WIRED