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Start-ups

Start-ups
Articles about early-stage companies; pre-IPO, including those still being funded by angel investors, private equity or venture capitalists.
StepFun has wrapped up a 5 billion yuan (US$690 million) Series B+ funding round and sharpened its focus on so-called “physical AI”. Photo: Handout
Artificial intelligence

Geely-linked veteran Yin Qi joins Chinese AI start-up StepFun as chairman

StepFun closes US$690 million B+ funding round as the company doubles down on “physical AI”.

Robotics

Chinese tech giants Tencent and Baidu join fight for Spring Festival spotlight

Robotics

China’s Eyou opens world’s first automated line for humanoid robot joints

Artificial intelligence

Next level: why China’s game makers are quietly bankrolling generative AI

From scripts and storylines to customer service and user-generated worlds, developers are deploying LLM tools across the gaming pipeline.

Peacekeeper Elite, also known as Game for Peace, by Tencent Holdings. Photo: Handout
IPO

From labs to listings: capital markets are the next battleground in the AI race

Stock exchanges have become another barometer in the US-China tech rivalry as markets assess a wave of start-ups in real time.

Artificial intelligence

China’s ‘infrastructure first’ effort a major edge in AI arms race: Davos panel

A rapid energy buildout and strategic data centre expansion give China unique advantages in developing its AI industry.

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Artificial intelligence

China-founded Shanda’s AI lab boosts Singapore operation, pulling China research

MiroMind asks some staff in Shanghai to relocate and continue their AI research work in Singapore, sources say.

People gather next to the Merlion statue at the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade in Singapore. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

Beijing outlines tech push with focus on AI, 6G, humanoid robots

Tech ministry’s plan targets breakthroughs in AI models, agents and chips, as well as AI’s spread into diverse sectors.

HKEX

New energy, AI, EV and biotech to drive Hong Kong IPO growth: HKEX

11 companies raised US$4 billion in Hong Kong in the first three weeks of 2026, with hundreds more lining up to list, Bonnie Chan says.

China technology

China’s nuclear fusion start-ups power up with record funding round

Startorus Fusion raised US$143 million, a record for a private firm, while Supermag New Energy received ‘several hundred million yuan’.

China has launched an association specifically tasked with accelerating funding for the commercialisation of nuclear fusion technology. Photo: Shutterstock
DeepSeek

DeepSeek a year on: how a Chinese start-up sparked a global AI arms race

DeepSeek’s meteoric rise propelled the growth of the open-source AI ecosystem by spurring its competitors to join the movement.

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DeepSeek’s meteoric rise has propelled the growth of the open-source AI ecosystem by spurring its competitors to join the movement. Photo: Shutterstock
Robotics

China’s Unitree ships over 5,500 humanoid robots in 2025, surpassing US peers

The Hangzhou-based firm’s output far outstripped the roughly 150 units each shipped by Tesla, Figure AI and Agility Robotics last year.

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Robotics

China dominates global humanoid robot market with over 80% of installations

AgiBot and Unitree help China capture bulk of global deployments in 2025 as market heads for sixfold growth by 2027, report says.

China stock market

China pushes slow bull run with tightened margin financing rules

‘Investors should reduce their leverage levels to guard against the risk of volatility,’ BOC International’s Wang Jun says.

The tightened margin trading rules’ immediate impact was to cool market sentiment. Photo: Shutterstock
Semiconductors

SpacemiT to launch server-class RISC-V processor following capital injection

CEO Chen is betting on Edge AI – which can run AI algorithms locally rather than in the cloud – to boost the adoption of RISC-V chips.

Shipments of processors based on the RISC-V architecture are forecast to grow 50 per cent each year between 2024 and 2030. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Artificial intelligence

DeepSeek stays mum on next AI model release as technical papers show frontier innovation

Hangzhou-based start-up’s technical papers bode well for potential advances in its next major AI models.

US-China tech war

Editorial | Review of Meta-Manus deal a reminder of what’s at stake in US-China rivalry

As Chinese firms look abroad, the authorities have to balance intellectual property protection and national security against commercial interests.

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Artificial intelligence

China’s AI unlikely to surpass US soon despite progress, researchers say

China’s top AI scientists warn of chip deficits and resource limits, though some predict breakthroughs within five years.

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A humanoid robot is seen at the 2025 Global Industrial Internet Conference in Shenyang, Liaoning province. Photo: Xinhua
Artificial intelligence

Review of Meta-Manus deal underscores China’s tightening grip on AI exports

AI agent start-up may face half a year of regulatory checks on data security, dual-use technologies and overseas investment rules: analysts.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong sets up 13-member expert panel to help mainland firms expand overseas

Establishment of Expert Committee on Professional Services for Going Global builds on new platform to help match local providers with firms.

IPO

Chinese AI start-up MiniMax shines on Hong Kong IPO debut

The shares jump as much as 113.2 per cent to HK$351.80 before ending the day 109.1 per cent higher at HK$345.

Executives of MiniMax Group, Suzhou Ribo Life Science, Yunnan Jinxun Resources and HKEX at the IPO listing ceremony on Friday. Photo: Jonathan Wong
DeepSeek

Core team of Chinese researchers behind AI model R1 remains intact: DeepSeek

The 18 core scientists behind R1 continue to power the start-up’s AI ambitions and capabilities amid growing anticipation of a new release.

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The updated technical paper of DeepSeek’s R1 development shows the start-up retained all 18 scientists behind the much-acclaimed AI model. Photo: Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence

China to probe Meta’s purchase of Manus over export controls, tech concerns

Probe comes amid concerns the US$2.5 billion acquisition could breach tech export controls and encourage more start-ups to relocate offshore.

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Artificial intelligence

DeepSeek to customise namesake chatbot for Italian users following probe

The firm agrees to a package of commitments, including tackling AI model ‘hallucination’ issues, with the Italian Competition Authority.

ByteDance

ByteDance boosts Shenzhen presence with ‘second headquarters’ for Douyin unit

The Chinese short video giant’s new base in Nanshan district was announced by the city’s publicity department on Tuesday.

ByteDance operates Douyin, China’s most popular video-sharing platform. Photo: Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence

Shenzhen eyes bigger role in world robotics arena as firms vow to boost output

Premier Li Qiang urges faster adoption of robotics to benefit industries and households during a meeting with tech companies in Shenzhen.

China is pushing its humanoid robotics industry to become “a global leader”. Photo: Xinhua
Artificial intelligence

China’s DeepSeek adds advanced ‘thinking’ feature amid buzz over next model

Hangzhou-based AI start-up installs ‘interleaved thinking’ as monthly users surge 90 per cent to nearly 131.5 million.

Artificial intelligence

Chinese quant fund joins DeepSeek in AI race with LLM rivalling GPT-5.1, Claude

Beijing-based Ubiquant launches code-focused systems claiming benchmark wins over US peers despite using far fewer parameters.

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