Intel to lend helping hand to Chinese robotics start-ups
US company to invest HK$11.6 million to incubate firms working on industrail, consumer robots
Semiconductor giant Intel plans to invest 10 million yuan (HK$11.6 million) every year to incubate Chinese startups working on industrial and consumer robots, a top company official said.
Intel’s investment plan is based on China’s industrial restructuring and upgrading mission, which hinges largely on robotics and intelligent manufacturing development, Dexon Li, general manager of Ecosystem Development Office of Intel (China) said on Thursday at the 9th APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Technology Conference and Fair in Shenzhen.
More than 1,300 tech startups from 21 Asia-Pacific countries and regions are attending the Shenzhen event.
Intel’s China unit has already teamed up with Shenzhen-based technology start-up Ingdan.com, backed by Hong Kong-listed Cogobuy to develop a robotics ecosystem platform. The US company plans to incubate Chinese startups that have the ability and potential to develop core robotics components, according to Li.
“We will focus on supporting those startups with core technologies, which would help upgrade the country’s robotics industry,” Li said. “We will invite more global investors to invest in these emerging robotics startups in China at a later stage.”
We will focus on supporting those startups with core technologies, which would help upgrade the country’s robotics industry
Apart from the investment, the startups will also have access to technical support from Intel Labs, said Zhang Yimin, director of Intel Labs (China). “This will help the startups to focus on application innovation and launch new products.”