Shenzhen's robot industry hits RMB 242.6bn; exoskeletons sold in 70+ countries

Overview

On 6 July 2026, Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television (CCTV) published reports on Shenzhen's robotics industry as part of the national media reporting campaign "Vibrant China Research Tour". According to the reports, Shenzhen is home to more than 74,000 companies in the robotics supply chain, and the city's robotics industry output reached a record RMB 242.6 billion in 2025. The coverage highlighted a Nanshan District company, Jike Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (极壳科技), whose consumer exoskeletons have tens of thousands of users in more than 70 countries and regions.

Background

Exoskeleton robots were long associated with medical rehabilitation and industrial use, and were typically heavy and expensive; laboratory-grade medical devices could cost tens of thousands of US dollars. Jike Technology was founded in 2021. Its founder and CEO, Sun Kuan, born in the 1990s, specialised in exoskeleton simulation during his graduate studies. According to the reports, his team, with an average age under 30, spent around five years turning the technology into lightweight, affordable equipment that ordinary people can wear.

The area between Yangtai Mountain and Tanglang Mountain in Nanshan has become known as "Robot Valley", attracting a dense cluster of young teams and companies. The city has positioned itself as a "testing ground for robots" and has been opening up real-world application scenarios.

A CCTV reporter tried on one of the exoskeletons. The device senses the wearer's intention to lift a leg and provides assistance; after walking up and down stairs for about ten minutes, the reporter said she felt no soreness in her thighs. Sun also said exoskeletons are a technology that empowers people and should belong to the general public, adding that Shenzhen's green environment offers good conditions for outdoor product testing.

Key Points

• Scale: more than 74,000 related companies; 2025 output of RMB 242.6 billion, a record high.
• Humanoid cluster: according to the Nanshan District Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, more than 25 humanoid robot makers producing complete machines are now based in the district.
• Supply chain speed: Sun said that a prototype part requested in the morning can arrive as a sample by the evening. The reports said the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area's complete industrial chain has greatly accelerated hardware iteration.
• Application scenarios: robots assist elderly residents in care facilities; Bao'an District hosts a global service centre for robot development and product selection; Longgang District has China's first "robot street block"; robots can also be seen in places such as Shenzhen Bay Park.
• Users: the exoskeletons are used for outdoor work and outdoor sports and are also popular with older people with limited physical strength.
• Government support: local authorities provide start-ups with support for industrial space, financing, application scenarios and talent, as Shenzhen aims to become the "number one city for humanoid robots".

Implications for Japan-Shenzhen Exchange

Japan has deep expertise in industrial robots and core components such as reducers, servo motors and sensors. The expansion of Shenzhen's robotics industry may create opportunities for demand in such components and materials, as well as for technical cooperation. At the same time, Shenzhen start-ups are moving quickly overseas on the strength of short development cycles and cost advantages, and interest in the Japanese market for consumer robots and assistive devices may grow.

Shenzhen's ability to move quickly from prototype to mass production may also offer Japanese start-ups and manufacturers room to use the city as a base for prototyping and small-batch production, which could diversify forms of collaboration between companies on both sides.

With Japan's rapidly ageing society, demand for walking assistance and for reducing physical workloads is significant. How lightweight, lower-cost products from Shenzhen might be combined with Japanese safety standards and care-sector know-how is drawing attention.

Outlook

The reports said Shenzhen is strengthening its robotics industry through both "hard foundations" and "soft power", with the aim of leading in humanoid robots. However, they did not give specific numerical targets or a timetable for new support measures, so the city's further policy announcements will be worth watching.

From the Association

The Association will continue to follow developments in Shenzhen's robotics and other frontier industries. We will keep working to provide a platform where companies and researchers from Japan and Shenzhen can exchange information and deepen mutual understanding.