The verified answer
As of Sep 2026, DEPLOY verifies TARS Robotics: 1 model, $697.0M raised. 3 sources back the record.
CategoryHumanoids
Overview
AI-driven Embodied intelligence company building humanoid robots for ultra-fine manipulation tasks. Founded on February 5, 2025 by CEO Dr. Chen Yilun, with Chief Scientist Dr.
Ding Wenchao. The Shanghai-based company has demonstrated a humanoid robot capable of performing hand embroidery, threading a needle and stitching a logo with bimanual sub-millimeter precision, showcasing its SenseHub data capture system and AWE (AI World Engine) 2.0 embodied AI model running on its T- and A-Series robot platforms. Raised a $513 million seed round in April 2026 at a $1.9 billion valuation led by Hillhouse Capital and HSG.
Verified record
- Verified deployments
- None on file
- Active incidents
- None on file
Valuation of record
DEPLOY VERIFIEDPriced roundPre-A post-money
Key facts
Founded
HQ
CEO
Chief Scientist
Fundingsee investors →
Focus
Chairman
Chief Architect
Website
Chinese Name
Dual HQ
Hero image candidate
Data & sources
Web sources
3
3 sources backing this record.View all →
Models (1)
View all models →TARS Robotics on the deployment map
View the global mapTARS Robotics has no verified deployments on the DEPLOY registry yet. Explore the deployment map by place and type.
No verified deployments for TARS Robotics on the DEPLOY record yet. Track TARS Robotics to know the moment the first one is verified.
Relationships
Current leadership (4)
- Chen Yilun Founder & CEOsecondary-verified
- Li Zhenyu Chairman & Co-founderreported, not verified
- Ding Wenchao Chief Scientistsecondary-verified
- Chen Tongqing Chief Architectsecondary-verified
Founders (2)
- Chen Yilun
later founded Huawei
- Li Zhenyu
later founded Baidu
Safety record
No incidents on record for TARS Robotics.
Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Full safety record: incidents, sourcing, and exposure data →
Recent coverage
TARS Robotics in third-party press
Peer companies
- Unitree Robotics10 models
- DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics6 models
- Dobot6 models
- AgiBot5 models
- AheadForm5 models
- Boston Dynamics5 models
Financial state
- Total funding
- $697.0M
- Reporting basis
- private_reported
- Lifecycle stage
- early
- Counterparty risk class
- moderate
Each numeric field carries its own basis marker. Aggregators report a number; this surface preserves the source class so verification depth travels with the value.
Funding rounds (3)
TARS Robotics’s 3 disclosed rounds, $697M in total, oldest to newest.
- Pre-A2026-04-16
$455M(reported) · $1.9B post
Investors: Oriental Fortune Capital (follow), Meituan (co_lead), Beijing Robot Fund (follow), TCL Ventures (follow), GL Ventures (Hillhouse Ventures) (co_lead), HSG (co_lead), CICC Capital Huirong Fund (follow), Qiming (follow), Shanghai Guotou (follow), Long-Z Investments (follow), CAPITALLINK (follow), Junshan Investment (follow), Meituan Longzhu (follow), Linear (follow), BlueRun (follow), XiangHe (follow), Hongtai (follow)
- Angel+2025-07-01
$122M(reported) · $610M post
Investors: Meituan (lead), SAIF Partners
- Angel2025-03-26
$120M(reported) · $600M post
Investors: Lanchi Ventures (co_lead), Qiming Venture Partners (co_lead), Linear Capital (follow), Hengxu Capital (follow), Xianghe Capital (follow), BlueRun Ventures (follow), Hongtai Fund (follow), SAIF Partners (follow), Meituan (strategic)
Timeline
Every recorded move in TARS Robotics’s history, most recent first: funding rounds, partnerships, acquisitions, supply-chain starts, key hires, and press.
Funding roundPre-A funding round
2026-04-16Pre-A raising $455000000
Funding roundAngel+ funding round
2025-07-01Angel+ raising $122000000
Funding roundAngel funding round
2025-03-26Angel raising $120000000
Recent activity
Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.
- Record createdAug 7, 2026
Added to the verified registry
Sources (3)
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tars-demonstrates-a-robot-that-can-perform-hand-embroidery-breaking-through-a-key-automation-bottleneck-in-flexible-manufacturing-302648045.html
- https://news.crunchbase.com/robotics/embodied-ai-fuels-record-funding-china-ipo-momentum-builds/
- https://wiyh.tars-ai.com/
Common questions
What is TARS Robotics?
What does TARS Robotics make?
Who competes with TARS Robotics?
Who is the CEO of TARS Robotics?
Where is TARS Robotics headquartered?
How much funding has TARS Robotics raised?
Where does TARS Robotics operate robots?
Is TARS Robotics a top robotics company?
Is TARS Robotics safe?
Methodology: Verified · 3 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-08-21
Verification posture
Verified
Low confidence
Review state
Stable
Last reviewed 2026-08-21
Sources by quality tier
- 3
- unclassified
- Unclassified source
The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.
Methodology surface for TARS Robotics.Peer companies
- Unitree Robotics10 models
- DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics6 models
- Dobot6 models
- AgiBot5 models
- AheadForm5 models
- Boston Dynamics5 models
In the press
Recent coverage mentioning TARS Robotics from third-party publications. Automatically surfaced; not part of the verified registry record.
Chinese AI Robotics Startup TARS Raises $455 Million in Record Pre-A Round
Caixin Global reports TARS Robotics raised $455M in a Pre-A round co-led by GL Ventures, HSG (HongShan), and Meituan—described as China's largest single Pre-A round in the…
Chinese embodied AI Company TARS raised $455 million in a Pre-A round
EqualOcean reports TARS Robotics closed a $455M Pre-A round led by GL Ventures, HongShan, and Meituan at a $1.9B valuation, the largest Pre-A in China's embodied AI sector.
TARS Robotics Demonstrates a Humanoid Robot Capable of Hand Embroidery
Coverage of TARS Robotics' live demonstration of a humanoid robot threading a needle and stitching fabric with both hands, a feat requiring sub-millimeter precision and adaptive…
TARS Demonstrates a Robot That Can Perform Hand Embroidery, Breaking Through a Key Automation Bottleneck in Flexible Manufacturing
TARS Robotics demonstrated a humanoid robot performing hand embroidery—threading a needle and stitching a logo with bimanual sub-millimeter precision—using its SenseHub data…
Machine-readable surfaces
- Markdown mirror: /companies/tars-robotics.md
- RSS feed: /companies/tars-robotics/feed.xml
- JSON-LD: embedded in this page’s head
- REST API: /v1/companies/c26a1806-0108-433f-8a7c-8ca1fd378fa6
- Revision history: /companies/tars-robotics/history
- Data documentation: /data
- Query this programmatically: Deploy MCP
Peer companies
- Unitree Robotics10 models
- DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics6 models
- Dobot6 models
- AgiBot5 models
- AheadForm5 models
- Boston Dynamics5 models
Video
What happens when we ask an AI-powered robot, GPTARS, to see itself in a mirror? Should we all be more like him? #ai #artificialintelligence #chatgpt #robot
GPTARS: TARS has a humor setting thanks to the power of AI and ChatGPT. #tars #interstellar #ai #chatgpt #openai #3dprinting #robotics #shorts
🤖 What if robots could actually FEEL what they touch? At ICRA 2026 in Vienna, I visited TARS to see the DexHand, one of the most advanced robotic hands I’ve e
Threading a soft, flexible wire thinner than a millimeter into a tiny connector, For over forty years, this precision task remained the ultimate "Mount Everest"
Robots are no longer limited to following fixed movements. At #ICRA2026 in Vienna, I visited the #TARSRobotics booth to see how the next generation of #Robotics
🪪 Join Robotics Builder Membership for Behind the Scene Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0jeEKE9IzfYKDuIbQLJIog/join 🎁 Get FREE Robotics & AI Resourc
#humanoidrobot #robot #usa Chinese robotics startup TARS has unveiled two new humanoid robot prototypes that highlight its focus on advanced physical intellig
Heat Index
Category contender75/100
A composite of competitive footprint, funding, press velocity, active partnerships, and supply-chain edges. Different from the Intelligence score below (which is per-form-factor productization). Non-robotics companies cap at 25.
Reality vs attention
TARS Robotics draws attention at the 58th percentile but verifies reality at the insufficient-data level among humanoids.
6-month trend
Analysis
Well-capitalized with $697M raised and recent funding activity. Limited public visibility and press coverage relative to peers.
Dimension breakdown
Verified signal
Attention (reach, not merit)
DEPLOY Intelligence scores are computed from verified registry data: confirmed deployments, disclosed funding rounds, regulatory filings, active job listings, video viewership, and press coverage. Confidence ratings reflect data availability. Scores update nightly.
DEPLOY Indices — verified vs claimed
Last computed: Sep 21, 2026