(Yicai) Sept. 2 -- Chinese startups Astribot and Seer Robotics are teaming up to deploy more than 1,000 humanoid robots in industrial settings within two years, marking a shift from pilot projects to broader commercial adoption.

The partners will leverage their respective strengths to develop humanoid robots suitable for manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, and other sectors, achieving “a leap from technical verification to multi-scenario and large-scale application,” Astribot announced today.

The tie-up will cover research and development, products, sales channels, and after-sales, Astribot co-founder Fang Ke told Yicai. The Shenzhen-based company hopes to expand into more areas such as consumer electronics, automobiles, and automation equipment with the help of Seer’s client resources, Fang added.

China’s humanoid robotics industry is shifting into high gear this year, as startups land hefty orders. In July, Ubtech Robotics announced a CNY90.5 million (USD12.7 million) order from Miyi Automotive Technology, the largest deal in China for humanoid robots to date, while Agibot landed an order worth tens of millions of yuan last month to place nearly 100 robots in Fulin Precision’s factories.

From an economic perspective, humanoid robots have now reached the threshold for commercialization in logistics, China Securities noted in a recent research report.

From the second half of this year, deployments will move from demo runs to customer trials, and once proven, the industry is expected to enter a rapid growth phase next year, the report said.

Set up in 2022, Astribot develops versatile intelligent robots. It uses a unique cable-driven transmission technology that mimics human muscle-tendon movements, enabling the robots to perform more like humans and demonstrate greater dexterity and safety in tasks such as material handling and parts assembly, the firm said.

Seer, established in 2020, focuses on robot controller systems. The Shanghai-based company already has 1,500 clients worldwide, including well-known businesses such as Philips, Schneider Electric, Siemens, and FAW-Volkswagen.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Tom Litting